March 24, 2010

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois University scored seven unanswered runs and then held on to beat the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team, 7-5, Wednesday afternoon at Ralph McKenzie Field. The Panthers (4-11) built a 4-0 advantage, only to see the Huskies (5-14) erupt for four runs in the seventh inning to tie it and three more in the eighth to take the lead. Milwaukee plated a run in the ninth and had the tying run at second base, but could not find a way to complete the comeback.

Trailing 7-4 in the ninth, senior Tim Patzman walked and junior Doug Dekoning singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Following a strike out, junior Sam Sivilotti drove in Patzman and sent Dekoning to third. Sivilotti then moved up to second to put the tying run in scoring position, but NIU's Andy Deain induced a ground ball to earn his fourth save of the year.

Dekoning's sacrifice fly in the fourth and sophomore Paul Hoenecke's sixth-inning home run doubled Milwaukee's lead to 4-0 and the game seemed in control.

But, after the Huskies loaded the bases in the seventh, two walks brought home a pair of runs before Troy White tied it with a two-run single. In the eighth, a UWM error helped NIU's cause, with two of the three runs coming across unearned.

The Panthers had taken the 2-0 lead in the second on senior Nino Guerrero's RBI-single and Sivilotti's sac fly.

The loss spoiled a fine effort by junior starter Jayme Sukowaty. He pitched into the fifth, allowing no runs and just four hits while striking out five. Senior Bob Stone (0.1 IP) and sophomore Cameron Amsrud (1.1 IP) kept the shutout intact through six complete. Junior Cuyler Franzke (2-3) suffered the loss, allowing three runs (two unearned) in 1.2 innings.

Patzman finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored, extending his hitting streak to a career-best tying nine games. Sivilotti was 2-for-3 as well, driving in a pair of runs.

Horizon League begins next when the Panthers head to Chicago to take on the UIC Flames in a three-game series this weekend. The first game is set for a 4:05 p.m. start Friday at Les Miller Field.