May 15, 2008

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MILWAUKEE - Eric Marzec drove in the winning run in the top of the 13th inning to give Youngstown State a 5-4 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Miller Park Thursday night. The Panthers (20-34, 10-15 Horizon) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extra innings, but left 16 runners on base in falling in heartbreaking fashion to the Penguins (23-30, 13-11 Horizon). YSU won the opener, 8-6, to earn the sweep.

Senior Nick Wichser came through with a clutch two-out single up the middle in the ninth to make it 4-4, but the Panthers could not get another hit when they needed one to put the game away. Milwaukee loaded the bases in the 10th and left three others on base in the extra-innings alone.

"Game two came down to us leaving 16 runners on base," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "I think we had a runner on second with two outs in the eighth through 13th innings and could not get a two-out hit. I thought we swung the bats really well today but didn't have it show up in the box score. We just could not get one to fall. We walked one guy in 13 innings and did not commit an error - some times you just lose a baseball game and that is what happened."

A leadoff walk in the top of the 13th came around to eventually score the winning run, as a couple of wild pitches advanced the runner to third before Marzec's single through the left side plated the run.

UWM put the tying run on base in the bottom of the inning with two outs on junior Andy Hetebrueg's single, but could find a way to get the equalizer in.

Tied at three in the top of the ninth, YSU pinch-hitter Jason Reitenbach singled, stole second and scored on a base hit before Wichser's heroics in the bottom of the frame.

Game two featured a pitcher's duel between junior Brad Lusti and Chuck Schiffauer. Neither was around for the decision, as Lusti struck out five and walked none in 8.0 innings and Schiffauer allowed four runs after working 9.0 innings. Senior Adam Ferrell (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs in his 5.0 innings of relief, striking out four. Ryan Sellman (1-1) earned the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Milwaukee got the scoring started in the third inning, plating two on a two-out single by senior Jesse Hart. The Panthers then widened their lead in the sixth when junior Josh Groves drove in junior Ben Long, who had doubled to open the inning.

However, the Penguins evened the score at 3-3 in the top of the eighth on a two-run home run from Sean Lucas.

Long and senior John Sarcia each had a team-high three hits in the nightcap, while Wichser, junior Shawn Wozniak and Hetebrueg all had two. John Koehnlein went 4-for-5 to pace YSU.

Hart set another Milwaukee record, breaking Ross McCoy's career at bat record of 737 when he lined out to third in the seventh inning. The 13 innings tied the UWM record for longest game in program history (13 innings versus Butler, May 9, 1998).

Milwaukee battled back from a 4-0 hole in the opener, plating four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie it up. Wichser reached on an error, followed by singles from Wozniak and Long to score the first run. Sophomore Shaun Wegner singled to load the bases, setting the table for a two-run single by Groves. The tying run then scored on a ground out to make it a new game.

The teams traded runs in the seventh, with YSU scoring on a triple by Lucas. The Panthers regrouped quickly, tying the game on Hart's ground-rule RBI-double.

The game was opened up by the Penguins in the eighth with three runs, helped along by three Panther walks in the frame.

Milwaukee got one back in the eighth on an RBI-single from Groves, but left the tying run on base. A 1-2-3 ninth gave YSU the victory.

Craig Gillet (1-2) earned the win, throwing 2.1 innings of relief in allowing one run. Senior Matt Holzheuter (1-3) took the loss, one of five UWM pitchers in the contest.

Wozniak led the offense with three hits, while Hart, Long and Groves all added two each. One of Hart's hits was a double, extending his team season record to 25 on the year. Anthony Porter was 3-for-4 to lead Youngstown, while Eric Diedrich had three RBI's.

These two teams close out the regular season Friday, with game three of the series getting underway at 1 p.m. at Henry Aaron Field.