Box Score

March 14, 2010

Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Matt Vinson hit a two-out, two-strike home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to help the University of Arkansas escape with a 3-2 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team Sunday afternoon at Baum Stadium. The Panthers (4-8) led the No. 14 Razorbacks (12-3) heading into the bottom of the ninth inning by a score of 2-0, but were unable to close out the upset victory.

Senior starter Jordan Herbert pitched a gem, retiring 19 of 20 batters - and 12-straight at one point - from the end of the second through the end of the eighth inning. In the ninth, Milwaukee still looked ready to pull off the win.

"You have to give a lot of credit to Jordan," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "He was very effective and efficient and did an outstanding job of mixing and keeping them off balance. Early on in the game, we swung the bats really well and didn't get much to show for it. And that's baseball. And then in the ninth, it just unraveled a little bit, but, overall on the weekend I could not be more proud of the guys. If we can just find a way to eliminate the two or three bad innings we had this weekend, we really played good hardball."

Following a leadoff single and wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth, junior Cole Kraft threw back to second on a ground ball to shortstop to get the lead runner for the first out. A single and wild pitch put runners on second and third and, following an RBI-groundout, the Panthers were still just an out away from the 2-1 win. But, the Razorbacks were able to score on a wild pitch to tie it before Vinson's hit in the 10th won it.

Tim Patzman rounding the bases after his home run put UWM up, 2-0.

Up 1-0 in the sixth, senior Tim Patzman provided what looked to be a huge insurance run, sending a home run to deep left for his first of the season and a 2-0 advantage.

Herbert, who had a previous career-best of six innings, was brilliant the first eight innings. He walked no one, struck out one and induced 19 pop out or ground ball outs. He got out of trouble when needed early, stranding a leadoff double in the fourth inning and starting an inning-ending double play in the second. Besides the two Razorback hits, just four balls left the infield through eight complete.

"You have to look at the big picture," Doffek said. "That is one of the best line-ups in the country and he had given up just two base hits going into the ninth inning. I tip my cap to him. It was phenomenal for him to go nine and he just lost focus on one or two pitches in the ninth."

Milwaukee threatened first in the fourth inning, putting two runners on when sophomore Paul Hoenecke singled and senior Ben Long reached on an error. After a failed bunt attempt and a fly ball that advanced Hoenecke to third, junior Doug Dekoning got UWM on the scoreboard with a line drive to center. Junior Sam Sivilotti followed with another single to load the bases and chase Arkansas starter Brett Eibner, but couldn't extend the rally, grounding out to end the inning with the 1-0 lead.

Eibner, who had allowed just five hits and two runs in 11.0 innings on the season coming in, was touched up for six hits in the contest by the Panther offense and was on the hook for the loss until the late rally.

"That is what we talk about," Doffek said. "It doesn't matter who we are playing. If we take care of our job in the batter's box, we will get positive results. And then sometimes the baseball gods are with you and sometimes they are not. And today, we just really didn't get due justice on the offensive side of things. It would have been great to beat that team in front of their fans, but we'll get back on the bus and see what we can do next week."

The UWM offense ended the day with nine hits, led by two each from Hoenecke, Patzman and junior Jim Lundstrom. Senior Dan Buchholz singled to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

The extended season-opening road trip continues for the Panthers, but the opposition continues to be tough. Up next will be a four-game series at Kansas State, a team coming off its first NCAA Regional appearance in school history after the Wildcats went 43-18-1 overall in 2009. First pitch in game one Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.