April 10, 2007

Game 1: UWM 4; UIC 8
Game 2: UWM 1; UIC 12

MILWAUKEE - Despite a furious ninth-inning rally in game one, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team was on the wrong end of both games of a doubleheader against the University of Illinois at Chicago on Tuesday. The Panthers (6-19, 5-5 Horizon) recorded 17 hits on the day against the Flames (14-12, 6-2 Horizon), but left 19 runners on base in the losses.

"We had some opportunities and did not capitalize," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We made a run at it at the end of the opener, so I was very happy to see them continue to play hard. [UIC starter Zach] Peterson really commanded the strike zone."

Trailing 8-1 in the last of the ninth of game one, the Panthers came alive with six-straight hits to get three runs across and nearly a fourth - as UIC nailed a runner at the plate for the first out. A walk loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate, but Flames' closer David Cales recorded a strikeout and a fly ball to notch his league-leading sixth save.

Milwaukee was held in check by UIC starter Zach Peterson (1-3), who allowed just one run on sophomore Shawn Wozniak's ground out in the sixth, going six-complete innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three.

The Panthers used four pitchers, with junior Adam Ferrell (0-1) tagged with the loss, allowing five earned runs in 3.1 innings. Freshman Zach Hoch and junior Matt Holzheuter combined for just one run and five K's in five innings of relief.

Junior Jesse Hart had a perfect 3-for-3 day as the only UWM player to have more than one hit. Chad Schroeder and Micky Pingree each had three hits to pace the Flames.

Down 4-0 in the fifth inning of game two, Milwaukee chased UIC starter Steve Crnkovich in the frame by loading the bases with two out. But, reliever Joe Skinner (2-3) induced a fly ball to end the jam.

"In game two, we just left too many runners on base," Doffek said. "And that was the story of the game. We couldn't execute, we couldn't get a two-out hit. Those were the things that they did and that was the difference for us down there earlier [when Milwaukee won two of three games at UIC March 23-24]."

UIC then opened up the game with six unearned runs in the seventh inning, using three UWM miscues and just three hits of their own to put the game out of reach.

Senior Ross McCoy supplied the lone Panther run in the 12-1 decision, hitting a deep home run to left in the eighth. Hart had two more hits in game two, as did sophomore Josh Groves.

Weather permitting, UWM will welcome Youngstown State to Henry Aaron Field on Friday for the first game of a weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.