May 8, 2009

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

CHICAGO, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team dropped a Horizon League doubleheader against UIC Friday, falling 5-4 in the opener and by a score of 6-3 in the nightcap at Les Miller Field. The Panthers (21-24, 10-8 Horizon) lost game one to the Flames (24-20, 15-5 Horizon) on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning and then gave up three unearned runs in game two after taking a 3-0 lead early in the contest. The sweep in the battle between first and second-place in the league standings gives UIC the inside track to its ninth-straight regular season league crown.

"First of all you have to give UIC credit," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "They really limited the opportunities we had early in the game to put up some bigger numbers. And, secondly, we were just really inconsistent in all three phases of the game today. We didn't make enough good pitches, the defense let us down in both ballgames and once again, we couldn't get a big two-out hit."

Milwaukee dropped a heartbreaker in the opener, falling 5-4 on Jake Carr's walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning.

After senior Brad Lusti retired the first two batters in the ninth, Nathan Orf got on base with a seeing-eye single through the left side. Carr sent the second pitch of the at bat down the left field line and Orf beat the throw to the plate by a few feet.

Lusti (4-4) pitched admirably, finishing the complete-game effort with five strikeouts and just one walk, scattering 13 hits in allowing four earned runs.

With UWM up 4-2 late in the game, the Flames struck for two runs with two outs to tie it up in the seventh. Orf plated a run on a double and went to third on a throwing error on the play. He then scored on a two-out hit by Carr to make it 4-4 at the time.

With the game tied 2-2 after three innings, the Panthers built a two-run lead on an RBI-single from senior Josh Groves in the fourth and a run-scoring triple by sophomore Cole Kraft in the fifth inning.

Senior Shawn Wozniak and junior Dan Buchholz gave Milwaukee an early advantage with home runs.

Wozniak had the only multi-hit game for UWM, finishing 2-for-4. Six others finished with a hit apiece. Orf and Carr were the heroes for UIC, as Orf was 4-for-5 with two runs scored and Carr collected three hits and two runs batted in. Adam Worthington (4-5) picked up the victory with the complete-game effort.

Tied at 3-3 after five innings in game two, the contest was a scoreless battle for the next two and a half innings, featuring an amazing catch by Wozniak in the bottom of the seventh to keep it tied the time. Wozniak, making just his 13th career appearance in the outfield, stole a home run from Brandon Harwell with a leaping catch at the fence.

The momentum was short-lived, however, as UWM got the leadoff runner on base in the eighth and moved him to second with a sac bunt. However, after a pitching change, UIC closer Derrick Miramontes induced a fly out and ground out to keep it tied.

The Flames then went ahead in the bottom of the frame, scoring three times - two earned - on five hits and left three on base as well.

Unearned runs hurt the Panthers' chances all game, as three UWM miscues led to three unearned runs. The Panthers actually led 3-0 in the middle of the fourth, scoring on a home run by Buchholz, a sac fly from junior Shaun Wegner and another RBI-single by Buchholz in the first.

Buchholz and senior Andy Gerhartz each finished 2-for-4, with Buchholz driving in a pair and Gerhartz adding two stolen bases to push his season total to a league-leading 21.

The Panthers will have a quick turnaround, playing a doubleheader at Butler tomorrow scheduled for a 12 p.m. CST start. That is an hour later than originally planned, as the start was pushed back an hour earlier today to help out with field conditions at Bulldog Park.

"We will have to find out what we are made of," Doffek said. "This will be a quick turnaround. We lose an hour going into Indianapolis [eastern time zone] and we have two really big games to play. We have to figure out a way to get motivated and play better in all three phases."