May 9, 2009

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team used great defense and a solid effort from the pitching staff to defeat Butler University in game one of a doubleheader, 3-2, Saturday at Bulldog Park. The Panthers (22-25, 11-9 Horizon) overcame deficits of two and three runs against the Bulldogs (11-34, 6-15 Horizon) in game two to take a 6-5 ninth-inning lead, only to see Butler score twice in the bottom of the inning to win it 7-6 and split the twinbill.

The Panthers had their chances to complete the sweep, but left nine runners on base in game two.

They made several great plays in the field in the opening 3-2 victory, including three far-from-routine double plays in the contest.

Down 2-1 late in the game, the offense finally strung together several base hits in the eighth to plate two runs and take a 3-2 lead. Sophomore Doug Dekoning led off with a single and senior Josh Groves followed with a perfectly-executed hit-and-run to give UWM runners on first and third with no outs.

Junior Dan Buchholz followed with a sac fly to center to tie the game and senior Shawn Wozniak drove in the eventual winning run with a line-drive single through the left side of the infield.

The Bulldogs threatened several times in the game, including in both the eighth and the ninth innings.

In the eighth, a walk and hit batter put two on with none out. Freshman Cameron Amsrud got a fly ball to right for out number one. Next, Amsrud beat the runner to the bag on a ground ball to first with a headfirst dive to record the out before getting a ground out with runners on second and third to end the threat.

Another hit batter led off the ninth, but UWM turned its third double play of the game on a 4-6-3 ground out to close it out.

Tied 1-1 in the sixth, Butler went ahead on a controversial play. After two hits, the team had runners on second and third with no outs. One out later, Wozniak fielded a bunt when charging the plate. After having no play at home, Wozniak turned and threw to first, but the runner was called safe.

A pitcher's duel early on, just one run was scored in the first five innings combined. Down 1-0 in the sixth, Milwaukee tied the game on a clutch two-out single off the bat of junior Tim Patzman.

Dekoning finished 3-for-5 and scored twice, while Groves, Patzman and Wozniak all finished with two hits each.

Freshman Kyle Schmidt pitched well, working 5.1 innings in allowing two earned runs. He struck out two and walked one. Senior Craig Meier worked the ninth for his seventh save of the year. Amsrud (4-1) picked up the victory with 1.1 hitless frames.

Game two went back and forth the whole time, as there were four lead changes and one tie in the contest. Up 6-5 in the ninth, UWM saw the Bulldogs plate two runs in the bottom of the ninth, winning it on Kyle Schultz's walk-off single - the second walk-off loss Milwaukee suffered on the weekend.

Dekoning drove in sophomore Cole Kraft with what looked like the winning run in the top of the eighth inning, giving the Panthers a 6-5 lead at the time.

Kraft set the stage for Dekoning, as he plated freshman Paul Hoenecke and senior Andy Gerhartz after fouling off several two-strike pitches to tie the game at 5-5 in the eighth.

Grant Fillipitch had staked the Bulldogs to a 5-3 advantage in the seventh when his two-run home run snapped a 3-3 deadlock.

Down 3-0 after the first inning, UWM kept Butler off the scoreboard and slowly got back into the game. Kraft hit a home run in the fifth and Hoenecke delivered a key two-run single in the sixth that tied it at 3-3 at the time.

Junior Gabe Marshall settled down after a rough first inning, throwing four-complete in allowing two earned runs and striking out two. Kraft led the way with a career-best four hits in a 4-for-5, three RBI day. Hoenecke finished with three hits and drove in two while Buchholz added two hits.

Milwaukee returns to action with the final week of the regular season. The last non-conference contest of the year will take place Tuesday in Rockford, Ill. That day, the Panthers will take on Northern Illinois at Road Ranger Stadium, starting at 7:35 p.m.