March 18, 2009

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team lost a heartbreaker in the opener of a doubleheader when it fell, 13-12, to Central Michigan University in the bottom of the ninth inning on a hit batter with the bases-loaded and two-outs. The Panthers (4-13) led 11-4 in the eighth inning, only to see the Chippewas (8-10) score nine of the final 10 runs of the contest Wednesday afternoon at Theunissen Stadium.

UWM also dropped the nightcap, 5-3, on the strength of six solid innings from CMU's Trent Edwards, who allowed two runs and struck out five.

Milwaukee looked to have put the opener away with a six-run eighth, sending 12 batters to the plate despite only recording one hit. Seven walks, two errors and a hit batter highlighted the frame, with senior Shawn Wozniak missing a grand slam by a few feet, settling for a two-run double off the top of the wall. The outburst turned a 6-4 lead into an 11-4 advantage.

However, CMU came right back with six runs on five hits in the bottom, helped along by an error and two walks to make it a game again at 11-10.

Junior Shaun Wegner added what looked like a key insurance run in the ninth, plating sophomore Cole Kraft to make it 12-10. But, the Chippewas went on to add three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning and escape with the walk-off victory.

Senior Brad Lusti threw well for UWM, but was a victim of the long ball, as all four runs he gave up in 6.0+ innings came via the home run. He ended the day with six strikeouts and no walks, giving up just four hits.

After giving up a long ball in the first, Lusti settled in. He retired 11-straight at one point, stretching from the second through fifth innings. Up 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, CMU got back in it on a two-run home run from Sam Russell.

Down 1-0 early and held without a run until the fifth, Milwaukee went ahead with a three-run output in the fifth.

Senior Andy Hetebrueg doubled with one out before sophomore Doug Dekoning legged out an infield hit. Senior Andy Gerhartz started the scoring with a single to right, advancing a base on an error in the outfield. Kraft made it hurt, sending a double past the first baseman that plated two and made it 3-1 at the time.

The Chippewas added a run on a homer in the sixth, but UWM responded with two more in the top of the seventh to take a 5-2 lead. Dekoning led off the frame with his first home run of the season and junior Tim Patzman added a clutch, two-out single to left that scored Wozniak.

The offense ended with 13 hits, led by two each from Gerhartz, Kraft, Dekoning and freshman Paul Hoenecke. Kraft topped the squad with three runs batted in. Russell finished with three hits - two home runs - and drove in six to lead CMU.

The Panthers trailed the nightcap, 2-0, before Wegner led off the fourth with a home run to make it 2-1. However, the Chippewas responded with two of their own in the bottom of the inning to take control. Patzman would add an RBI-single in the sixth and senior Ben Long had a pinch-hit to score one in the ninth, but that was as close as they would get.

Milwaukee has the weekend off and then plays a doubleheader at Northern Iowa Tuesday. It then begins Horizon League play next weekend at Valparaiso.