April 9, 2006

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team limited Butler University to just two hits on Sunday, claiming a 4-2 victory at Henry Aaron Field to complete the weekend sweep. Junior starter Mike Rauwerdink led the way by pitching into the eighth inning to lead the Panthers (12-13, 5-4 Horizon) to the three-game sweep over the visiting Bulldogs (12-17, 6-6 Horizon).

Rauwerdink (3-2) earned the win by allowing just two hits to go with four strikeouts before junior Kelby Mack and senior Jed Dolske closed the door. Mack pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and Dolske came on in the ninth for his second save in as many days by retiring both batters he faced.

"We needed to come out this weekend and put at least two [wins] on the board," assistant head coach Scott Doffek said. "And to get three is even better. You can't say enough about what the pitchers did and the bullpen again today, came in and held it right where Rauwerdink left it."

The UWM staff finished off a great weekend with the effort. In the three game series, they limited Butler to just five runs (four earned) and a .134 batting average. In 28.0 innings, they struck out 26 batters and had a 1.29 ERA.

Milwaukee got all they needed in the second and third innings of the game, plating two in the second and another in the third to take a 3-0 lead. After two walks and a single loaded the bases in the second, junior Kyle Silver forced home a run with a base on balls before senior Mike Goetz knocked in another with a single down the left field line.

Junior Rob Brockel made it 3-0 the next inning, crushing a ball to deep right center field for his third home run of the season.

Two hit batters and a walk opened the door for the Bulldog runs and chased Rauwerdink in the eighth. UWM then added an insurance run in its half of the eighth inning, as senior Jeremy Wilson's sacrifice fly scored Brockel, who had doubled earlier in the frame.

Brockel and Goetz both had 2-for-4 days, with Brockel scoring a team-high two runs. Butler's two hits came in the second and sixth innings by Jeff Brown and Joe Dempsey. Craig Costello (1-3) took the loss, allowing three runs in 3.1 innings, striking out three but walking five.

Milwaukee will look to use the momentum of the weekend as they head into a big Horizon League showdown with first-place UIC on Tuesday. Game one of the doubleheader at Henry Aaron Field is set for a 3 p.m. start time.