May 14, 2009

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MILWAUKEE - Senior Josh Groves and freshman Paul Hoenecke each came through with game-winning walk-off hits to send the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a thrilling doubleheader sweep over Butler University Thursday at Miller Park. The Panthers (25-25, 13-9 Horizon) led early in both games, only to see the Bulldogs (12-38, 6-19 Horizon) come back in each contest. Milwaukee won game one, 6-5, on a squeeze bunt off the bat of Groves and then won game two, 7-6, on a bases-loaded single to right field by Hoenecke.

"The guys know how important these games were today and they found a way to win them," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "Game one was just an exciting college baseball game. Josh Groves showed some real senior leadership by laying a bunt down with two outs and a runner on third. That took a lot of guts and he did it to win the ball game.

"Andy (Hetebrueg) did a good job on the mound in game two giving us an opportunity to win. Groves came up clutch again with a leadoff double in the ninth and then Paul Hoenecke found a way to find some green grass and get the winning run home."

Up 6-2 in the top of the ninth of the nightcap, things unraveled for the Panthers. Butler scored four runs with two outs, getting a two-RBI single from Grant Fillipitch and another run-scoring hit from Michael Letzter to make it 6-6 on the scoreboard.

Groves led off the bottom of the frame with a double. Following a walk, junior Dan Buchholz's sacrifice bunt attempt found a hole between the pitcher and shortstop and turned into a base hit loading the bases. Following a fielder's choice, Hoenecke dropped a sinking liner to right and junior Tim Patzman came home with the winning run when Colin Ziegel's diving attempt came up just short.

UWM had built a 5-0 lead through five innings, getting three of them on a long home run by Buchholz in the fifth inning.

Senior Andy Hetebrueg lasted 7.2 innings in giving up just two earned runs and striking out six. Senior Craig Meier (2-3) ended up with the win despite not being able to lock down the save.

Patzman finished 3-for-3 and scored three times, while Buchholz was 2-for-3 with four runs batted in. Letzter had two hits and drove in three to pace Butler.

Groves plated the winning run on a bunt with two outs, giving the Panthers a come-from-behind 6-5 victory in game one.

Senior Johann Andes set the stage for Groves' heroics, as his home run to lead off the frame tied the game at 5-5. Sophomore Cole Kraft walked, went to second on a sacrifice and to third on a ground out.

Enter Groves, who had only one bunt hit previously on the season. Just one inning after trying a suicide squeeze that turned into a double play, Doffek went right back to it, with Groves executing it perfectly and beating the throw to first base.

UWM had a great opportunity in the bottom of the eighth, as a double, walk and sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with just one out. It was short-lived, however, as a suicide squeeze attempt turned into an inning-ending double play on a pop out.

BU had forged ahead with two runs in the fifth to lead 5-3, with UWM getting one back in its half of the fifth inning on an RBI-single off the bat of sophomore Doug Dekoning.

Butler had tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on one swing, as Ziegel sent the first pitch he saw over the right field fence to tie the game at 3-3.

UWM had scored first, staking itself to a 3-0 lead in the first on Groves' RBI-double and a two-run blast from Patzman to deep right center, his 11th long ball of the season.

Five different players had two hits apiece for Milwaukee: Kraft (2-for-4, 2 runs), Dekoning (2-for-5), Groves (2-for-5, 2 RBI), Patzman (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Hoenecke (2-for-3). Ziegel finished 2-for-3 with three runs batted in.

Senior Tim Hoy (2-1) earned the win with a stellar performance, striking out four of the five batters he faced.

These two teams close out the regular season with a single game tomorrow at Henry Aaron Field. The game, which was scheduled to start at 2 p.m., has been moved to a noon start to stay ahead of the forecasted rain. The contest is a pivotal one for UWM, as it needs a win and just one loss by Wright State in its final three games of the season to lock up the key No. 2 seed in next week's Horizon League Tournament.

"We have to come out and try to attack all three phases," Doffek said. "Hopefully we will find a way to come out on top."

Due to the late change in starting times, the media coverage that was planned for tomorrow has now changed. ESPN Milwaukee will still do the internet broadcast, but the "D-List" will no longer be doing their show live from the "Hank". Also, Time Warner Cable's TV broadcast of the game remains up in the air as of this release.