March 13, 2009

Box Score

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team mounted a furious ninth-inning comeback against Austin Peay State University, only to come up just short in a 10-8 loss Friday at Raymond Hand Park. The Panthers (3-9), who scored first but trailed late, had the tying run at the plate when the game ended. The Governors (6-8) used two big innings to lead the way, scoring four in the third and three more in the fifth inning to take control.

Senior Josh Groves (4-for-5) and sophomore Doug Dekoning (3-for-4) each had big days to lead the way for the Milwaukee offense.

"The guys did not quit, which was a real positive," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We are just having a hard time staying away from the big inning. But, there were two crucial situations to get out of and we didn't. And, before you know it they had a couple of big innings and then we are playing from behind."

The Panthers made it interesting late, bringing the tying run to the plate with just one out. But, APSU closer Daniel Tenholder recorded his second save of the season with a strikeout and a ground ball to end it.

Sophomore Cole Kraft singled to start it before going to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore Doug Dekoning then drove him in before junior Shaun Wegner knocked in two more with a long single to the left field wall. After a walk, Groves singled to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch plated one and a ground out another to make it 10-8, but another ground ball to shortstop ended it.

UWM led 1-0 after plating a run in the second on a balk, only to see the Governors reel off nine-unanswered runs and take a 9-1 lead into the seventh.

"They hit a couple of balls hard, but there were a handful of balls that were not really centered but just found a hole," Doffek said. "Brad Lusti was a bit of a hard-luck pitcher today. I thought that for the most part he did a good job, but there were just a few at bats that we needed to grind out a little better."

Austin Peay starter Ricky Marshall (2-0) threw well, allowing one earned run in 6.0 innings before leaving after taking a line drive from Groves off his throwing arm. Senior Brad Lusti (0-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing eight runs through 5.0 innings.

Milwaukee would dent the scoreboard again in the seventh, with the first coming on junior Tim Patzman's third home run of the season, a long ball that carried down the left field line.

Dekoning tripled and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Wegner to make it 9-3 at the time.

For the game, the offense did manage 13 hits. In addition to the big days by Groves and Dekoning, Wegner and Patzman each had two hits. Senior Andy Gerhartz was on base four times with two walks and two hit-by-pitches.

Groves extended his hitting streak to seven games, having gone 13-for-23 in the stretch.

"On offense I saw some sparks from the bottom of the order, so there were some real positives there," Doffek said.

The game was played in less than ideal conditions, with a first pitch temperature in the upper 30's, a night after two inches of snow fell in the area.

The teams will get together tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at noon. Keep checking the UWM website for possible updates, as the forecast calls for a 70% chance of rain.