April 7, 2009

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MILWAUKEE - The pitching staff combined to give up just two runs on the day to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Chicago State University Tuesday at Henry Aaron Field. The staff recorded 16 strikeouts compared to five walks in the two contests to stake the Panthers (9-17) to the sweep of the Cougars (3-27). With the victories, UWM improves to 4-1 at home in 2009.

"We played really good baseball today, error-free for both games," Panther head coach Scott Doffek said. "The pitchers really dictated the tempo all day and kept them in check the whole time - didn't let them get anything rolling. For me, it was all about how our arms threw all day and really had them on their heels. I think by the third inning in both games it was really decided."

In the nightcap, junior Tim Patzman hit two home runs and sophomore Cuyler Franzke (1-2) threw four scoreless innings to send Milwaukee to an 11-0 win.

Four pitchers combined on the shutout, allowing just six hits overall. Senior Craig Meier came on in relief in the fifth and struck out all five batters he faced. He actually struck out the side in the fifth on just 13 pitches. Freshmen Kaleb Engelke and Greg Blohowiak finished the victory, each picking up a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning apiece.

Scoreless until the second, Patzman hit the first of his two home runs to stake the Panthers to a 2-0 lead. Freshman Nick Lingvay also had a two-run double to make it a 4-0 advantage.

Patzman added another home run in the third and junior Shaun Wegner extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run single in the fourth inning.

UWM closed out the scoring in the sixth with four runs on four hits, highlighted by a two-run triple from Lingvay.

Lingvay finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and drove in four runs. Wegner (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Patzman (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and freshman Paul Hoenecke (2-for-3) all recorded multi-hit games.

In the opener, the UWM offense exploded for its second-highest run and hit totals of the season with a 16-2 victory, powered by 15 hits. The Panthers scored in each of the first four innings and cruised to the win, clubbing four home runs - two by sophomore Doug Dekoning.

"It was good to see them swing the bats like this and get some confidence," Doffek said. "Hopefully we can continue to relax and play the way we are capable of playing."

Up 2-0 in the third, Milwaukee exploded for five runs in the frame, highlighted by a three-run home run to deep left field off the bat of junior Dan Buchholz. Wegner and senior Josh Groves both added run-scoring singles in the rally.

Milwaukee added three more in the fourth to take a 10-0 lead, with senior Johann Andes adding a two-run pinch-hit home run and Buchholz a sac fly. Six runs on five hits in the sixth closed out the scoring. Dekoning started things with his second home run of the game before junior Nino Guerrero and senior Shawn Wozniak would come through with RBI-singles. Senior Andy Gerhartz also had a two-run triple.

Dekoning led the way with a 3-for-3, four-run day and drove in two. Wozniak, Gerhartz and Guerrero all ended with two hits. Buchholz drove in a team-high four runs, tying his career-high. Kevin Hussey was 3-for-3 and drove in two for the Cougars.

Not to be lost in the offense was the effort of UWM junior starter Jeff Gordon. Gordon (1-0) threw 4.0 scoreless innings, striking out three while not allowing a walk. Junior Zach Hoch struck out the side to close out the game.

Milwaukee remains at home for the weekend, welcoming Wright State to Henry Aaron Field for a big Horizon League series, starting Friday afternoon at 1 p.m.