April 28, 2010

Box Score: Game 1
Box Score: Game 2

MILWAUKEE - Junior Jayme Sukowaty and sophomore Greg Blohowiak combined on a three-hit shutout to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a doubleheader split against Northwestern University Wednesday night at Miller Park. The Panthers (18-18) extended their home winning streak to 21 in the opening 9-0 victory, but could not pull off the sweep after the Wildcats (15-24) took the second game by a score of 4-1.

"The first game was probably the cleanest game we played all year," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We played perfect defense, Jayme really pitched to spots and we swung the bats from one end of the lineup to the other. In the end, you are not going to go undefeated at home all year. At some point, you are going to break down and I will tip my cap to that type of effort on the mound."

Up just 1-0 in the opener, Milwaukee took control with a five-run fourth inning. Senior Tim Patzman opened the scoring with an RBI-triple and junior Sam Sivilotti made it 3-0 with an RBI-double. Senior Nino Guerrero then extended his hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI-double of his own down the right field line. Junior Cole Kraft closed out the frame with a single up the middle that chased home two more.

Sukowaty (2-0) did the rest. He retired the Wildcats in order in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings, allowing just three harmless singles in his outing. He walked just one and struck out a pair. Blohowiak worked a perfect inning to close it out.

The offense collected 14 hits in the contest, led by a 3-for-4 effort from senior Ben Long who also drove in two. Patzman and Sivilotti each had two hits, as did Kraft, who finished with two runs batted in. Senior Dan Buchholz added a home run in the fifth.

In the second game, UWM got on top immediately, with Long doubling in a run in the first. Little did anyone know at the time, but that would be the only hit that the Panthers would muster in game two. Jack Havey (2-0) came on in the second inning for Northwestern and ended up working six perfect frames, retiring 18-consecutive batters, striking out eight the rest of the way.

"In the second game, we ran into a little trouble, but when you look at it, four runs in a college game is a decent effort on the mound," Doffek said. "You just have to tip your cap to Havey. That was up there with the best stuff we have seen all year. He was very good and the balls we did hit hard were right at people and caught."

The home streak for Milwaukee did end at a team-record 21, but the Panthers will put their 18-game winning streak at Henry Aaron Field on the line this weekend when they welcome Valparaiso to Milwaukee. Game one of the three-game weekend series is slated for a first pitch of 3 p.m. on Friday.