May 23, 2008

Box Score

NILES, Ohio - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team jumped out to a 5-0 lead in search of its third-straight upset at the Horizon League Tournament, only to see top-seeded UIC score the final seven runs of the game and hand Milwaukee a stunning 7-5 defeat Friday night at Eastwood Field. The Flames (33-19) scored two unearned runs on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for the final difference against the Panthers (23-35), who had built that five-run cushion in the sixth before UIC started its rally.

The winning runs both came home on the same play. With the bases loaded and just one out in the eighth, Milwaukee was playing both the infield and the outfield in for a play at the plate. Steve McGuiggan sent a deep fly ball to center field that freshman Doug Dekoning had to scramble back on, making a spinning, running catch with his back to the infield. The relay was late to the plate as two runs scored and, after a controversial appeal at second base, the runner was called safe and the play stood.

"I could not be more proud of the way this team has come out and played all week and tonight was no exception," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "They have played their hearts out. I can see it in their eyes that they are disappointed tonight but they are going to come out and give it their all tomorrow - that is all we can do at this point - take it a game at a time."

Milwaukee got RBI-hits from senior Jesse Hart and juniors Ben Long and Josh Groves and sacrifice flies off the bats of senior Troy Vesling and Dekoning to take that early lead.

The Flames got on the scoreboard with two runs in the sixth, the first on Brett Schaefer's home run. Schaefer was the hero again in the seventh, as his two run home run to left field tied the game at 5-5 and capped a three-run rally.

"It was just a really good college baseball game," Doffek said. "We had opportunities to put them away and we did not. We just did not execute like we needed to at the end of the game."

Freshman Cuyler Franzke got the start and threw five scoreless innings before getting into trouble in the sixth. He finished his night charged with three earned runs in 6.0 innings, walking two and striking out one. Senior Adam Ferrell (3-5) suffered the loss, allowing four runs - two earned - in 2.0 innings while striking out and walking a pair.

Franzke got out of a jam in the third after loading the bases with two outs on two hit batters and an infield hit. He then induced a pop out to center to end the threat and keep it at 2-0 at the time. The defense helped as well, turning two inning-ending double plays in the first four innings.

Another double play ended the sixth, as Dekoning made a diving catch after a long run and easily doubled up the runner at second.

The Panthers scratched out runs in each of the second through fifth innings against Horizon League Newcomer of the Year Derrick Miramontes, helped along by four UIC errors. Long recorded an RBI-single in the third, driving in senior Nick Wichser who had reached on a two-out miscue.

Long scored the first run after singling in the second. He went to second on a wild pitch, third on a sacrifice bunt and scampered home on Vesling's sac fly to center.

Two of the three runs in the fourth and fifth were unearned as well, as Hart singled in Dekoning who had reached on a fielding error in the fourth and junior Josh Groves scored on Dekoning's sac fly after advancing to third base on a bad throw. Groves also singled in sophomore Shaun Wegner who had doubled with one out.

UWM collected 12 hits in the contest, marking the 11th-straight game with 10 or more hits. Junior Shawn Wozniak added three more to increase his now team-leading batting average to .365 on the season. Hart, Long and Vesling all added two safeties each and Schaefer (two HR) and Brandon Harwell both went 3-for-4 to pace UIC.

The Panthers will have to earn the championship the hard way tomorrow, as they will open play at 10 a.m. CST against Valparaiso, who eliminated No. 2 Wright State Friday afternoon. The winner of that contest will then advance to play in the Horizon League Championship at 2 p.m. CST versus UIC. If it wins that game, a second, winner-take-all title match will be played against the Flames Sunday.