March 16, 2008

Box Score

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team had the go-ahead run at the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings Sunday, but could not push anything across in falling, 6-4, to Austin Peay. The Panthers (3-11) cut a 5-2 deficit to 5-4 in the seventh against the Governors (8-7), but were unable to complete the comeback.

"It was a game of miscues and missed opportunities," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We did not take care of the baseball early and when we played catch up our guys did a really good job of not giving up and giving us a chance to win. But, when you make that many fundamental mistakes, you do not deserve to win."

Milwaukee had runners on first and second in the ninth inning with one out, but APSU closer Daniel Tenholder induced two fly ball outs to end it.

Three-straight base hits started the Milwaukee seventh, with senior Troy Vesling and sophomores Shaun Wegner and Tim Patzman loading the bases with singles. Freshman Doug Dekoning then plated a run with a single to left, with another scoring after the leftfielder bobbled the ball.

The teams traded runs in the fifth inning to make it 5-2, with freshman Cole Kraft driving in Patzman on a ground out after Patzman doubled for the second time in the game.

APSU took a 3-1 lead in the third with the help of two Milwaukee errors after two were out. Chad Cunningham beat out a ground ball to first to start the rally and scored on a throwing error. Another error on a single to the outfield allowed the next run to score as well.

After the Governors took a 1-0 lead in the first, UWM tied the game in the second when Wegner drove in senior Nick Wichser with a base hit.

The Panthers recorded 12 hits, with Patzman's career-best three leading the way. Vesling, Wegner and Dekoning all chipped in with two.

Junior Andy Hetebrueg (0-4) took the loss, allowing five runs - three earned - in 6.0 innings, walking three and striking out three.

"We talk about it being a process and being ready to play when the league season starts," Doffek said. "There were a lot of positives on the weekend and we just have to find a way to keep getting better."

Milwaukee opens its Horizon League slate with a short trip to Chicago to take on UIC. The Panthers and Flames play Friday at 4:05 p.m. and then play a twinbill starting at 12:05 p.m. Saturday. Just a note, Friday's first pitch is a change in the schedule as that game was originally scheduled for a 3:05 p.m. start time.