April 29, 2009

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior Dan Buchholz set a career-high with four hits and drove in three runs to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a 7-2 victory over Northwestern University Wednesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. The Panthers (19-19) broke open a close game with three runs in the ninth inning to win for the third time in the last four games in the series against the Wildcats (12-27).

"We did a really good job from the first pitch on in controlling our at bats and putting some good swings on the ball all day," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "That is one of the things about this team that is so encouraging. Every day it seems like a different guy. Those are the toughest teams to pitch to and that is the idea of what we are trying to do here."

In the ninth, senior Andy Gerhartz legged out an infield hit and stole second. He came in on Buchholz's double and then senior Josh Groves traded places with another double. Junior Tim Patzman also had a run-scoring single in the inning.

Junior Gabe Marshall (3-0) pitched well, going 5.0 innings in allowing just four hits and two runs. He walked none and struck out three. The staff came through in the seventh, closing the door on Northwestern when the game was still in doubt.

"I thought Gabe did a good job setting the tone and our bullpen came through in a critical situation," Doffek said. "All three guys executed their job and it was just a really good team win."

A single, hit by pitch and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh and gave the Wildcats a great opportunity to tie the game. Senior Tim Hoy then came on and recorded a strikeout, as the batter attempted to bunt an 0-2 pitch and fouled it off. Next up was freshman Cameron Amsrud, who dropped a 2-2 curveball on the corner of the plate for a strikeout and the inning was over.

The Panthers rode the momentum into the top of the eighth, as Buchholz started the inning with a base hit and Groves followed with a hit-and-run double that put runners on second and third. Patzman then hit a sharp ground ball at the drawn-in infield, and an error by the second baseman allowed a run to come home to make it 4-2.

Milwaukee had chances to add to their lead early, but could not come up with a two-out hit and also had rallies thwarted by Wildcat double plays in two innings.

Sophomore Doug Dekoning homered in the third inning, a blast that was estimated at 425 feet to make it 3-0 at the time. Northwestern got back in the game with runs in the third and the fourth, scoring on a safety-squeeze by Tommy Finn and an RBI-single by Tony Vercelli in the fourth.

Milwaukee got things started quickly, as sophomore Cole Kraft sent the first pitch of the game down the left field line for a leadoff double. Gerhartz followed with a sacrifice bunt attempt that turned into a base hit that put runners on the corners for Dekoning. He plated Kraft with a sac fly before Buchholz added an RBI-single to make it 2-0.

In addition to Buchholz's four-hit effort, Groves and Gerhartz both went 3-for-5, with Gerhartz adding two stolen bases and a pair of runs scored. Kraft ended 2-for-5 as well, while Dekoning had two runs batted in to pace the 16-hit attack.

Next up, the Panthers head to Ohio on the weekend for a league series against Cleveland State, playing doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. First pitch both days is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST.