Feb. 18, 2007

UWM 3; Arkansas 8
UWM 2; Arkansas 28

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team took leads of 2-1 and 3-2 in its season opener on Sunday, but could not hold on as No. 6 Arkansas broke open the game with a four-run seventh inning in claiming an 8-3 victory. The Razorbacks (6-2) then completed the doubleheader sweep by pounding the Panthers (0-2) in game two, 28-2.

Down 1-0 in the fourth inning of the opener, Milwaukee struck for two runs against All-American pitcher Nick Schmidt. Senior Rob Brockel singled to open the inning before moving to third on an error on Schmidt. After a walk, senior Ross McCoy plated Brockel with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Sophomore Andy Hetebrueg followed with an RBI-double, giving UWM the 2-1 lead.

Arkansas came right back with a run in the fourth to tie it, with both pitchers settling in from there. Senior Robert Michalkiewicz pitched well, allowing just two runs in 5.1 innings of work. He scattered six hits and struck out one. Schmidt did not factor into the decision either, striking out four and walking four in 6.0 innings.

The Panthers took the lead again in the seventh. Senior Kyle Silver started things with a one-out single. Junior Jesse Hart followed with another single and junior Grant Berkovitz then plated Silver with a single up the middle to make it 3-2.

Arkansas broke through with some help from UWM as two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases to start the seventh inning. Casey Coon then came up big for Arkansas with a two-run double. A sac fly and RBI-single made it 6-4 before the Razorbacks added two more in the eighth on another two-run double from Coon.

Game two was all Razorbacks, starting with six runs in the first. After the Panthers got two back in the second, AU would score in every inning from the third on, tying the school mark for biggest margin of victory by an opponent. Junior Dan Luczak (0-1) took the loss, as six Milwaukee pitchers combined to tie the school mark by issuing 14 walks.

Brockel had two hits to lead the offense, while Hart and Berkovitz had the runs batted in.

The Panthers will finish the series with game three on Monday, starting at 1:05 p.m.