May 19, 2007

Game 1: UWM 2; Butler 1 (10 innings)
Game 2: UWM 6; Butler 2

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Senior Kyle Silver drove in the winning run with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to give the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team a thrilling 2-1 victory over Butler in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers (23-20, 16-14 Horizon) then closed out the regular season with another victory, topping the Bulldogs (22-31, 10-20 Horizon), 6-2, in game two.

"In both games we pitched very well and we played really good defense," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "Ross McCoy changed the whole game with his play and throwing runners out at the plate. Brandon Duffy was outstanding coming out of the pen for us and Mike Rauwerdink and Dan Luczak gave us opportunities to win. Offensively, Kyle Silver has been coming up with two out hits over and over again."

In the opener, the winning rally all came with two outs in the top of the 10th. Sophomore Josh Groves started things with a pinch-hit single. After junior Jesse Hart walked, Silver plated Groves with a clutch line drive base hit to left field.

Sophomore Jordan Herbert came on with one out and a runner on second in the last of the 10th to close it out for his first save. A bunt moved the tying run to third, but Herbert sent three straight strikes past the final batter to end it.

The game featured a pitcher's duel between junior Dan Luczak and Bryan Bokowy. Luczak worked out of trouble in the last of the seventh, striking out Rick Betsch with runners on second and third and the game still tied 1-1.

Luczak threw seven-complete frames but did not figure into the decision despite allowing just one run on six hits, striking out four. Junior Brandon Duffy (3-2) recorded the win with 2.1 hitless innings. Bokowy went 8.1 innings, striking out four and allowing one run.

With UWM up 1-0, Butler did get the equalizer in the sixth when Betsch turned a leadoff walk into a run after taking third on a single and then scoring on a wild pitch.

BU was in position to plate the tying run earlier, but senior Ross McCoy threw out Ryan Neat at the plate on a bang-bang play following a two-out single to center to end the fifth inning.

The Panthers scored the first run of the game in the third when senior Rob Brockel doubled, went to third on a fly ball and scored on freshman Shaun Wegner's ground out.

Milwaukee had nine hits in the game, with freshman Wes Munson and junior Nick Wichser both chipping in two apiece.

It was more of the same for Silver in game two. His double to the center field wall in the fifth inning tied the game at 1-1 and helped set the stage for Wichser's single that plated Silver and Hart, who had also singled in the frame, and gave UWM a 3-1 advantage.

McCoy had another chance to show off his arm as well, throwing out another runner at the plate to end the Butler sixth.

The team added two insurance runs in the sixth, with Silver driving in the first and Wichser chipping in another RBI on an infield hit. Sophomore Andy Hetebrueg doubled in a run in the seventh to close out the scoring.

Senior Mike Rauwerdink (2-7) went eight strong innings, scattering eight hits in allowing just one run. He struck out three and walked two. After freshman Zach Hoch got in some trouble in the ninth, Duffy came in to close it, recording the save in the nightcap after winning game one.

Hart, Groves, Wichser, McCoy and Hetebrueg all had two hits each in game two, with Wichser driving in a team-high three runs. Three players extended hitting streaks, with Brockel's now at 16 and Groves and Wichser at 12 each.

UWM begins Horizon League Tournament play next, starting Wednesday in Chicago at Les Miller Field (host UIC's home field). As the No. 3 seed, the Panthers know they will play Wednesday at 3 p.m. but do not yet know their opponent. They will take on either Butler or Youngstown State, based on results of the doubleheader YSU and Cleveland State were playing today.