March 17, 2007

Game 1: UWM 3; Hawaii 10
Game 2: UWM 3; Hawaii 5

HONOLULU, Hawaii - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team staged a late rally Saturday, putting the winning run on in the final inning by loading the bases before falling to the University of Hawaii, 5-3. The Panthers (0-12) led by scores of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 in the second game against the Rainbows (18-8), but could not avoid the doubleheader sweep.

Milwaukee outhit Hawaii 12 to eight in the game and scored first for the third-straight contest, but could not find a way to break through for that elusive first victory of the year.

"At this point [the losses] are all tough to swallow, but that was a game that we just gave away," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "When you are playing good teams like this, those teams are just waiting for you to make a mistake and beat yourself and that is exactly what we did."

Two-out hits by junior Jesse Hart, senior Rob Brockel and junior Nick Wichser in the top of the seventh gave the team one last chance. But Rainbow reliever Tyler Davis closed out the win with a strikeout.

The Panthers took the 2-1 lead in the fourth on sophomore Shawn Wozniak's first home run of the season. The at-bat was a battle from start-to-finish, as Wozniak fouled off numerous pitches in the 11-pitch at bat before sending the ball over the right center field fence. The lead was short-lived, however, as UWM let Hawaii right back in it the next half inning when it scored a run on a throwing error.

It was Wozniak again in the fifth, getting an RBI-ground out to stake Milwaukee to a 3-2 lead at the time. UH battled right back, taking the lead on Brandon Haislet's two-out double to center field.

"We are not staying sharp mentally throughout the game," Doffek said. "We are breaking down at critical parts and until we make adjustments, we aren't going to beat [NCAA] regional teams. They are just not going to beat themselves."

Hart finished the second game 4-for-4 to lead the team. Brockel and Wichser each had two hits. Senior Mike Rauwerdink (0-4) was tagged with the loss, going 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs and recording two strikeouts.

Two big innings by the Rainbows did in the Panthers in game one. Hawaii scored four runs in both the second and fourth inning, propelling it to a 10-3 victory in the opener.

Once again, Milwaukee scored first, getting two runs in the second inning for another quick lead. UWM started out red-hot, touching up UH starter Mark Rodrigues - the reigning Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week - for five hits and those two runs in just the first two innings.

After leaving two on base in the first, Brockel got things going with a one-out single in the second. One out later, senior Ross McCoy sent a double to the wall in center field to plate Brockel. Senior Kyle Silver followed with a triple down the right field line to drive in McCoy and make it 2-0.

Hawaii took the lead in its half of the second, getting the big hit from Derek DuPree, who's double cleared the bases before getting thrown out by junior Troy Vesling trying to stretch it to a triple.

Rodrigues (6-1) settled down after the rough start, going 7.0 innings in allowing three earned runs. Brockel added the third run charged to him on his first home run of the season in the sixth.

Silver ended the game with a perfect day at the plate, setting a career high in hits with his 4-for-4 performance. Junior Grant Berkovitz was 2-for-3 and Brockel also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4. Landon Hernandez paced the `Bows with a 3-for-3, three run day.

Five UWM pitchers took to the mound, with sophomore Tim Hoy (0-1) taking the loss. He worked 2.0 innings in allowing four runs (three earned). Sophomore Jordan Herbert threw well, adding 2.0 hitless innings in relief.

These two teams close out the four-game weekend series with a single game Sunday, scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. CST first pitch.

"Every day is a new day and that is the way we have to look at it," Doffek said. "We have to figure out a way to stay mentally sharp for all nine innings."