March 30, 2010

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MILWAUKEE - Junior Sam Sivilotti had three hits and drove in a career-high four runs to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a 10-4 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Tuesday at Henry Aaron Field. The Panthers (7-13) swept the doubleheader from the Rangers (9-18), winning game one by a final score of 6-2. Sivilotti also helped key a first-inning rally in game one with a two-out triple that scored two runs. The pair of victories came in the home opener for Milwaukee and extended its school-record home winning streak to 15 games dating back to last season.

"It was great to wear the home whites," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We have only been able to do it two times in 18 games coming in and it's great to be able to bat last. Sam (Sivilotti) had a really big two-out hit in the first game that got the ball rolling for us. I thought our at bats were really good the whole day. We lined out a bunch of times and really didn't get anything to show for it. But we did just enough."

The Panthers scored in each of the first three innings of the nightcap, taking a 4-0 advantage on a sac fly from senior Dan Buchholz, a run-scoring triple by junior Jim Lundstrom, an RBI-single from junior Cole Kraft and an RBI-ground out from Sivilotti.

After Parkside got back into the game with two runs in the fourth to make it 4-2, Milwaukee took control with a four-run fifth inning. Sivilotti added an RBI in the frame, as did Lundstrom and Kraft. Sivilotti then capped his day with a bases-loaded single up the middle that plated two more.

"He [Sivilotti] is just doing a real good job of staying short with the barrel of the bat and not trying to do too much," Doffek said. "He is making the pitchers work and got a couple of good pitches and did a great job."

On the mound, freshman Jordan Guth (1-0) ended up earning the victory. He was in control until running into a bit of trouble in the fourth, ending his day with two strikeouts and two runs allowed in 3.2 innings of work.

The team ended the nightcap with 11 hits, with Lundstrom (2-for-3, two runs scored, two RBI) and Buchholz (2-for-3, two runs) also recording multi-hit efforts.

In the opener, UWM jumped on UWP for four runs in the fourth and then cruised to the 6-2 victory.

Buchholz got the team on the board first with a single and the Panthers went ahead, 2-0, on a Ranger error. Sivilotti's two-out triple cleared the bases and made it 4-0.

Parkside would get a pair back in the fourth, but Milwaukee would get those back in the fourth and fifth, scoring on a sac fly from Kraft and a run-scoring fielder's choice.

Senior Jeff Gordon (1-0) was the winning pitcher, working two scoreless innings as the starter. He walked one and struck out a pair. Sophomore Cameron Amsrud also came through with a strong outing, recording his second save of the season with three scoreless frames, allowing just two hits.

Buchholz, senior Ben Long and sophomore Paul Hoenecke all had two hits for the Panthers.

The team continues its homestand this weekend, welcoming Cleveland State to Henry Aaron Field Friday and Saturday. The single game Friday is set for a 3 p.m. start.