April 24, 2007

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior Nick Wichser hit a two-run home run to key a ninth-inning rally for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team, but it was not enough in falling to Northwestern on Tuesday afternoon by a final score of 10-7. The Panthers (9-23) were unable to take advantage of their opportunities all game against the Wildcats (10-25), leaving 15 runners on base.

"First and foremost, you have to give them a lot of credit," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "Their center fielder changed the game with his defense on three or four occasions. That being said, we squandered a lot of opportunities with runners on base and couldn't seem to come up with a big hit when we really needed it."

The Panthers recorded 12 hits and drew 10 walks, but went 2-for-10 with no RBIs with two outs and 0-for-4 with the bases loaded on the day.

The ninth inning rally started with one out when junior John Sarcia drew a walk. Wichser followed with his second home run of the season to make it 10-6. The rally continued with a walk to sophomore Andy Hetebrueg and singles by senior Kyle Silver and junior Jesse Hart to load the bases with one out. A fielder's choice scored another, but Wildcat reliever David Jensen induced a fly ball to center to end it for his third save.

Northwestern built its lead to 10-4 in the eighth, getting two runs (one earned) on two hits after two were out in the frame.

"It was a case of us not playing all nine innings," Doffek said. "We had them with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth and they scored two runs. It didn't seem that important at the time, but those runs were critical."

After a 5-1 Wildcat lead was cut to 5-4, Northwestern responded to UWM's big inning with three of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Two of them came on Antonio Mule's fourth home run of the season to make it 8-4 at the time.

Milwaukee had battled back to within a run with a three-run sixth inning, using three hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly to plate three runs. NU helped with the first run, as Wichser scored on a failed pickoff attempt. Hetebrueg, who had walked, then came home on Hart's single up the middle off the pitcher's leg. Senior Rob Brockel's sac fly cut the lead to one, but that was as close as UWM would get.

Five pitchers took to the hill for UWM, with junior Adam Ferrell (0-2) taking the loss. He went 5.0 innings, allowing just three earned runs, striking out two. Matt Diedrich (1-2) earned the victory with 5.1 innings of work despite walking eight batters.

Offensively, Hart extended his hitting streak to nine games with his sixth-straight multi-hit effort by going 4-for-6, while Wichser was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Hetebrueg tied the UWM record for walks in a game with four. Silver chipped in with two hits and two runs scored. Mule paced NU with three hits and four runs scored.

The Panthers continue non-conference action Wednesday, heading back to Illinois to play a doubleheader against Northern Illinois. Game one is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.