Feb. 22, 2008

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The trio of senior Troy Vesling and juniors Josh Groves and Ben Long of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team combined for seven hits and seven runs batted in, but it was not enough as the Panthers fell to Jacksonville University, 20-8, in its 2008 opener. The Panthers (0-1) got behind early when the Dolphins (1-0) scored three unearned runs in the third inning to take control of the game.

"It was great to get out there in the sunshine and get the season started, but we obviously did not come out the way we wanted to," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "They got ahead early and we were forced to play catch up."

Groves became the first player in Milwaukee's NCAA Division I history to hit more than one home run in the first game of a season when he hit two today. The earliest any previous player had hit two or more home runs in a game was in 1992, when Randy Wilke went deep twice against Indiana in the second game of the season. One of the more impressive things about the feat was that Groves had just one career home run entering the game that he hit as a sophomore last season.

The Panthers did close out the scoring with a four-run eighth, getting an RBI-single from freshman Cole Kraft, a two-RBI double from Vesling and a bases-loaded walk from Groves.

Long paced the team with a 3-for-4 effort in his first game as a Panther. Vesling came on in the sixth inning and went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in. Groves was 2-for-4 with those two home runs, two runs scored and drove in three.

"I was very happy with our approach at the plate," Doffek said. "Our guys played nine full innings today and did not give away too many at-bats."

The Dolphins jumped on junior starter Tim Hoy (0-1) for four runs in the first, collecting five-straight singles to lead off the game. It stayed that way until the fourth when JU added those unearned tallies to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Hoy allowed 13 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits with four walks in 3.1 innings.

"It's going to look bad on paper, but Hoy actually threw the ball well today," Doffek said.

Junior Craig Meier, sophomore Zach Hoch and freshmen Cuyler Franzke and Brett Proud also saw action on the mound. Proud did not allow a hit in 1.1 innings of his UWM debut.

Milwaukee got on the board in the fourth when Groves led off the frame with his first home run of the game to left center. After senior Nick Wichser singled and advanced to second on an error, Long brought him home with a two-out double.

Groves second long ball of the game led off the sixth and came before Vesling drove in senior Jesse Hart after the pair hit back-to-back doubles.

Thomas Myers led Jacksonville's 18-hit attack with a 3-for-4, three RBI performance and Tony Bernazard also drove in four.

Milwaukee continues play in the Jacksonville Invitational tomorrow, taking on UNC-Wilmington, starting at 11 a.m. CST. The Seahawks lost their season opener to Richmond in the first game Friday, falling 23-16 to the Spiders.