May 18, 2007

Game 1: UWM 7; Butler 8
Game 2: UWM 4; Butler 11

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Despite pounding out 28 hits in two games, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team was on the wrong end of both sides of a doubleheader against Butler on Friday afternoon at Bulldog Park. The Panthers (21-30, 14-14 Horizon) lost game one, 8-7, on a walk-off, ninth inning hit and then dropped game two, 11-4, to the Bulldogs (22-29, 10-18 Horizon).

"When you come out with the type of concentration and energy that we did, you are going to have days like this," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We didn't get timely hits; we didn't get two-out hits. Offense is so much more than just base hits. We didn't execute when it mattered and they did. We have to show up tomorrow and play a lot more inspired."

After taking a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning on sophomore Josh Groves double, the second game got away from Milwaukee late in the contest. Butler scored two runs in both the first and second innings and then put it away with a five-run sixth inning.

UWM scored twice in the ninth inning in the 11-4 decision, getting RBI-hits from junior John Sarcia and sophomore Shawn Wozniak. It was not nearly enough, however, as Milwaukee dropped back-to-back games to Butler for the first time since the 2004 season.

Senior Kyle Silver went 4-for-5, recording his fourth four-hit game of the year, to lead the offense in the second game, with Groves finishing with three hits, Wozniak with two, senior Rob Brockel with two and junior Nick Wichser with two. Brockel extended his hitting streak to 14 games, while Wichser and Groves both upped their current streaks to 10 games.

The Panthers let one get away in the opener, coughing up a late four-run advantage after taking a 7-3 lead in their half of the eighth inning. The Bulldogs tied the game at 8-8 in their half of the frame and then won it on Joe Pauley's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.

Tied 3-3 in the top of the eighth, Milwaukee opened the frame with five-straight base hits. Wichser doubled to lead it off and Brockel's well-placed sacrifice bunt attempt then turned into a base hit as well. Groves singled up the middle to give UWM the lead but was called out next after getting hit by junior Grant Berkovitz's line-drive base hit while running the bases.

After Wozniak drove in the next run with a double, UWM received back-to-back squeeze bunts from senior Ross McCoy and junior Troy Vesling to make it 7-3 at the time.

BU jumped right back into it, greeting senior Tom Zimmerman with a couple of hits and a walk after one out to load the bases. Dustin Bucalo then emptied the bases with a double to the left field wall, and Pauley tied it with another double.

The Bulldogs then avoided extra innings next. For the third time in the contest a leadoff walk came around to score, this time on Pauley's single to right field that ended it. Sophomore Tim Hoy (1-3) took the loss, giving up a run on three hits while also walking three.

Down 3-0 early, UWM had tied the game with three runs in the fifth inning, getting two on Silver's single and a third on a ground ball.

The Butler comeback spoiled a quality start from senior Robert Michalkiewicz. After giving up a run in each of the first three innings, Michalkiewicz threw four-straight scoreless frames, struck out five overall and was in line for the victory when he left.

Berkovitz led Milwaukee's 12-hit attack with three more safeties, while Silver and Vesling each added two. McCoy was 1-for-3 in a record-setting outing for him. Game one marked the 203rd of his UWM career, breaking the former mark of 202 held by Charlie Reschke (2002-2005). Bucalo finished with five hits and three runs batted in to pace Butler.

These two teams wrap up the regular season schedule tomorrow, playing another doubleheader at Bulldog Park with a scheduled start time of 11 a.m. CST.