April 26, 2008

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

DAYTON, Ohio - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team got into another slugfest with Wright State University Saturday, but came up on the wrong end of both sides of a Horizon League doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium. The Panthers (14-26, 6-10 Horizon) battled back all game long in the nightcap, only to see the Raiders (21-17, 11-5 Horizon) regain the momentum each time in recording a 19-11 victory. That gave WSU a sweep on the day after an 8-2 win in the opener.

Milwaukee would cut into the lead on several occasions in game two, including the seventh inning when it scored three times to make it 14-11 at the time. Run-scoring hits by senior Nick Wichser and junior Shawn Wozniak started the rally but UWM left two more runners on base in the frame - something that haunted the team all day as they would leave 11 on in the nightcap. However, the momentum was short-lived, as the Raiders got two of those runs back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball with the bases loaded. They went on to put the game away with three more in the eighth.

The Panthers started chipping away down 9-4, putting together a three-run rally in the fourth to make it a game. Two runs scored on a WSU throwing error to get it started before sophomore Shaun Wegner added a run-scoring infield single. Milwaukee was unable to do further damage, leaving the bases loaded in the inning.

Milwaukee had jumped out to a quick lead in the second game, scoring three runs on a bases-clearing double off the bat of Wozniak and another on an RBI-single from junior Josh Groves in the top of the first inning. Wright State cut into it immediately on Justin Parker's three-run home run in the bottom of the frame and then went ahead on a six-run third inning, sending 10 batters to the plate.

For the game, Wozniak led the way with three hits and four runs batted in. Wegner, Groves and freshman Doug Dekoning each added three hits apiece. Hart (16 games), Wozniak (10), Dekoning (9) and Wichser (7) all extended hitting streaks in the contest.

Seven starters had multi-hit efforts for Wright State, with Jeremy Hamilton leading the way with a 4-for-5 effort, scoring four times and driving in three.

Junior Jordan Herbert (0-6) suffered the loss, working 2.0 innings in allowing eight runs.

The Panthers fell in the opener, 8-2, with the offense unable to solve Wright State starter Jon Durket. Durket (3-2) limited the Milwaukee line-up to just eight hits - after UWM pounded out 22 Friday - in a complete-game effort where he struck out six and walked none.

Leading 5-2, Wright State continued to build its lead with single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, with Durket holding Milwaukee scoreless in the final six frames.

The first seven runs of the game came via the long ball, as Wichser made it 5-2 in the third with a two-run shot to over the left center field fence. That cut into a five-run hole after Wright State's Casey McGrew hit a two-run home run in the second and Justin Parker sprinted around the bases for a three-run inside-the-park shot in the first, a ball that junior Andy Gerhartz just missed in center field on a full-out diving attempt.

Junior Brad Lusti (2-4) took the loss, allowing nine hits and seven earned runs in 5.0 innings, striking out three while walking just one.

Offensively, Wegner went 2-for-3 and was the only one in the line-up with more than one hit while Wozniak extended his hitting streak to nine games. Aaron Fields led the Raiders with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate.

The Panthers return home next week, playing four of five games at Henry Aaron Field. The first will be Tuesday, when UWM hosts Northern Illinois, with a first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.