March 9, 2008

Box Score

SHREVEPORT, La. - Junior Andy Hetebrueg of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team gave up just three hits in five innings during his game two start Sunday, but could not catch any breaks in falling, 2-1, against Centenary College. The Panthers (1-10) also rallied late in the opener, but came up short against the Gents (9-2) by a score of 8-6 to drop the weekend series.

"Both of the games were good games," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We just could not get over the hump. If it wasn't one thing, it was another and it was very frustrating."

Hetebrueg (0-3) allowed just three hits in his start, but one was a home run to Ricky Imperiali that broke a 1-1 deadlock late in the game. CC starter Johnny Noland (2-1) threw the complete game, allowing no earned runs and three hits, walking none and striking out two.

"Andy did a great job out there," Doffek said. "But, their kid did a nice job too. We had our opportunities early in the game but did not move runners over. And, in a shortened game [the two teams played a pair of seven-inning games today], you cannot miss those types of opportunities."

Down 1-0 in the second, UWM tied the game on sophomore Dan Buchholz's sacrifice fly. But, besides a hit by senior Troy Vesling and two from senior Nick Wichser, that was all the Milwaukee offense could muster in game two.

As was the case all weekend, the Panthers jumped out to an early lead in the opener when Wichser drove in two runs in the first on a single to left. It stayed that way until the bottom of the second, when the Gents roughed up junior starter Brad Lusti (0-1) for six runs on six hits.

Down 8-2 late, UWM rallied with a run in the sixth on Wichser's home run and then plated three more in its last at bat on sophomore Shaun Wegner's bases-clearing double. The Panthers brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but Gents reliever Boone Whiting induced a double play for his second save of the season.

Wegner and Wichser both had two hits and three runs batted in to lead the way. Teddy Saenz led Centenary with three hits and scored twice.

Milwaukee sets off for Clarksville, Tenn., next weekend. There they will face Austin Peay in a three-game series starting Friday.