March 27, 2010

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

CHICAGO, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team bounced back from Friday's tough loss with a convincing 13-5 victory over the University of Illinois at Chicago Saturday afternoon at Les Miller Field. However, the Panthers (5-13, 1-2 Horizon) were unable to record the doubleheader sweep against the Flames (5-14, 2-1 Horizon). Despite taking a 3-0 lead in game two, 10 unanswered runs did them in during the 10-4 loss.

"I was very proud of the way they came out," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "Sometimes, after losing a tough game like we did Friday, you can be emotionally drained. And our guys, to their credit, came out ready to play. But, we certainly didn't execute for all nine innings. We gave up five unearned runs on routine plays that we continue to misplay. But, like I said yesterday, we are in a confidence funk. We are capable of playing good baseball and we have done that already this year."

Milwaukee took control of the opener from the get-go, plating 12 runs over the course of the first four innings to take a 12-0 advantage. In the end, all nine starters had at least one hit, eight scored at least one run and seven drove in at least one in the 13-5 victory.

The top three spots in the order led the way. Junior Cole Kraft (3-for-4), junior Doug Dekoning (3-for-5) and senior Ben Long (3-for-5) combined for nine hits, five runs scored and five driven in.

Not to be lost in the offensive display was the work of the Panther pitchers. Senior Jeff Gordon started the game and worked a 1-2-3 inning before giving way to sophomore Kyle Schmidt. All Schmidt (1-2) did was go the rest of the way, allowing no earned runs in eight innings of work. He scattered seven hits, struck out two and walked two.

The Panthers came out firing, plating five runs in the first while batting around. With one out, four consecutive base hits got the scoring started. Sophomore Paul Hoenecke drove in the first on a ground rule double, senior Dan Buchholz had a run-scoring single, junior Sam Sivilotti added a sacrifice fly and another run scored on a passed ball to make it 5-0 before the Panthers took the field. It could have been worse for UIC, but UWM had a runner get picked off and also had another get thrown out on the bases in the frame.

They tacked on three more in the second, with Dekoning tripling in a run, Long adding a sac fly and senior Tim Patzman also recording a run-scoring single to make it 8-0.

In addition to the trio mentioned, four other batters recorded multi-hit days. Patzman had three and Hoenecke and Sivilotti two each. Sivilotti also knocked in a pair.

The Panthers looked like they were on their way to a sweep at the start of game two, scoring a run in each of the first three innings in taking a 3-0 advantage. Then, trouble hit in the bottom of the third. UIC would strike for five runs on three hits, helped along by a UWM error that led to two unearned runs.

"We came out swinging and probably could have put up a couple more runs early," Doffek said. "But we let them off the hook. Critical for them, they only let us put up ones [on the scoreboard] instead of putting up a big number. Those big numbers are just emotionally draining. And, that is what they did - they put up a five after we put up all the ones."

The Flames were not done there, plating another in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth, three coming on a home run by Steve McGuiggan.

The Panthers got a bases-loaded walk by Buchholz, an RBI-double from Kraft and another RBI-single from Sivilotti for that quick 3-0 start.

Buchholz ended game two 2-for-3 and scored twice, while Sivilotti (two hits/two RBI) and Kraft (2-for-4) also had multi-hit efforts. On the mound, senior Jordan Herbert (1-2) took the loss, allowing six earned runs in 4.2 innings.

The home opener is finally on the schedule next, with the Panthers hosting UW-Parkside March 30 for a 2 p.m. doubleheader to start the slate at Henry Aaron Field. It continues on the weekend, with Cleveland State coming to town for a 3 p.m. game Friday and a noon doubleheader Saturday.