April 19, 2008

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

LORAIN, Ohio - Junior Andy Hetebrueg tied his career-high with seven strikeouts and pitched eight strong innings to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a split of a Horizon League doubleheader with Cleveland State University Saturday afternoon at Pipe Yard Stadium. The Panthers (12-22, 5-6 Horizon) won game two, 4-3, to record their fifth-straight victory in one-run contests. The Vikings (13-18, 5-6 Horizon) did win the opener, 7-4, to snap what was a three-game win streak Milwaukee brought into the day.

"Andy Hetebrueg was really good through seven innings," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "They put a couple of good swings on the ball in the eighth but he battled all day and gave us a chance to win the game. We were very inconsistent offensively, leaving runners on third base with less than two outs on a couple of occasions."

Hetebrueg (2-6) threw eight complete innings, walking just two while tying his career-high set earlier this season with those seven K's. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits. Senior Adam Ferrell came on in the ninth for his second save of the season, getting out of a bit of a jam after allowing a one-out walk.

Milwaukee jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after three innings, getting on the board with two in the first on an RBI-double from senior Nick Wichser and getting another on a Viking fielding error. UWM then made it 3-0 in the third on junior Josh Groves' run-scoring single.

The Vikings broke up the shutout with a run in the fifth before Milwaukee would get a much-needed insurance run in the sixth. That run would score after three-consecutive hits after junior Shawn Wozniak, Groves and junior Ben Long opened the frame with safeties.

Cleveland State made it a one-run affair in the eighth on Brad Buell's two-run home run, but Hetebrueg settled in to record a strikeout, ground ball and fly out to leave the tying run stranded at second.

Groves led the offense with a 3-for-4 day, with senior Jesse Hart (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Long (2-for-4) also chipping in with two-hit days. CSU's Bobby Cash also had a 3-for-4 day to lead his team.

In the opener, Milwaukee ran into a solid start from Josh Hungerman, who leads the Horizon League in strikeouts. He limited the UWM offense to just one run into the ninth inning before tiring, taking a 7-1 lead into the last at bat for the Panthers. He ended the game with eight strikeouts and four earned runs allowed in 8.2 innings of work.

"We allowed him to get ahead in the count too often," Doffek said. "It's tough to hit a good pitcher when you are behind in the count all day. We came out flat and not ready to play and they took advantage of it."

Milwaukee's late rally started with three-straight one-out hits, as freshman Sam Sivilotti, Groves and freshman Cole Kraft all singled, with Kraft driving in Sivilotti. After a strikeout, senior John Sarcia laced a single to load the bases for sophomore Shaun Wegner, who promptly doubled in two runs to make it 7-4 and bring the tying run to the plate. However, a ground ball to the infield ended it.

The Panthers trailed just 1-0 through four and a half innings, but CSU would go on to score two runs in each of the fifth through seventh innings to take control. Junior Brad Lusti (2-3) took the loss, allowing five earned runs in 6.0 innings, striking out one.

Milwaukee ended the game with eight hits, with no one in the line-up recording more than a single safety. Wichser saw his league-high 24 game hitting streak come to a close, finishing as the third-longest in the history of the UWM program. Wichser batted .478 in the streak, going 44 for 92 with 28 runs scored and 25 runs driven in.

"He has been really good from the start of the year," Doffek said. "He always puts together good at-bats. Today was no different; he just didn't get anything to fall in for him today."

Milwaukee is right back at it tomorrow, traveling to Youngstown State for a twinbill Sunday, wrapping up a stretch of six games in five days. Game one is set for a first pitch of 11 a.m. CST.