March 8, 2008

Box Score

SHREVEPORT, La. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team held early leads in both games against Centenary College Saturday, but it was not enough as it dropped a doubleheader by scores of 8-7 in game two and 8-4 in the opener. The Panthers (1-8) did not help themselves, as five errors on the day led to five unearned runs for the Gents (7-2).

Milwaukee jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in game two and still led 5-3 in the fourth before Centenary tied it. Fielding miscues in the fifth and sixth inning led to three unearned runs, giving the Gents the 8-5 advantage and enough to hold on for the victory.

"It's tough to win games when we give up as the walks and the errors we did," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We did some fundamental defensive things poorly that didn't look like much early, but it really came back to haunt us. But, just like last year, we will fight through it and have to improve quickly with conference play coming up soon."

UWM jumped all over CC starter Justin Kraft (3-0) in the nightcap, scoring four times on four hits in the opening frame. A leadoff walk by freshman Cole Kraft and a single by senior Jesse Hart gave Milwaukee runners at the corners before junior Josh Groves stepped up and drove in Kraft with a single to right.

Senior Nick Wichser then drove in a run with a ground out before junior Shawn Wozniak made it 3-0 with a double to left and sophomore Tim Patzman drove Wozniak in to make it 4-0 at the time.

Centenary regrouped to score three runs off UWM junior Tim Hoy (0-3) in its half of the first. Wichser then singled and scored on senior Troy Vesling's base hit to make it 5-3 in the third before the Gents took the lead for good.

The Panthers tried to rally, plating two runs in the eighth on Wichser's single and Wozniak's double to make it 8-7, but stranded a runner at third in the frame and went 1-2-3 in the ninth to close it out.

Wozniak finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two driven in, while Groves (three hits, two runs scored) and Wichser (one hit, two RBI) also chipped in. Hoy pitched 3.1 innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Senior Adam Ferrell allowed three runs - none earned - in 4.2 innings, striking out one but not helping his own cause with both errors in the contest.

UWM jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the second inning of game one, with Kraft and Hart each driving in one and sophomore Shaun Wegner plating two with a double to make it 4-2. However, Centenary scored the final six unanswered runs of the game to earn the win.

"Game one was a perfect example of college baseball being a game of momentum," Doffek said. "We had a chance to go up quite a bit in the middle innings with two guys on and our 3-4-5 guys coming to bat. We couldn't get it done and they came back with a crooked number and we never recovered."

Junior Craig Meier (1-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs - five earned - on 10 hits in 4.2 innings of work. Vesling and Kraft each led UWM with two hits. Teddy Saenz went a perfect 4-for-4 to pace the CC offense.

The two teams meet again tomorrow to close out the weekend series with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.