Game 1 Box Score - Milwaukee 5, Butler 4
Game 2 Box Score - Milwaukee 6, Butler 5

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (May 14, 2010) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team overcame a two-run deficit in the ninth inning of game one and a four-run hole in game two to hand Butler a pair of losses in a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field.

The Panthers (25-21, 13-7 Horizon) rallied from a 4-2 ninth-inning deficit in game one, winning 5-4 on a walk-off single. In game two, they spotted the Bulldogs (18-26, 8-12 Horizon) four unearned runs, but responded with six unanswered runs in rolling to a 6-5 victory.

UWM is closing down the regular season with just five games remaining over the next seven days. The Panthers, who pulled within a half game of first-place Wright State Friday, return to action with a doubleheader against third-place UIC Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Henry Aaron Field.

"We're in a position where we need to come out and try to execute and find ways to win at the end of ballgames. Our pitchers are doing a good job," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "Late in the season, like this, you want to keep the momentum in your dugout heading into the conference tournament. As we progress, we got five games left, it's huge."

In the opener, Butler took a 4-2 lead into the ninth behind starter Michael Hernandez. After Hernandez retired the first batter, the Panthers got consecutive singles from freshman Jonathan Capasso, junior Jim Lundstrom and junior Cole Kraft to load the bases. After a strikeout, senior Dan Buchholz laced a two-run double to the gap in right center field to knot the score at 4-4. Senior Ben Long then ended the game with a single to the same area, scoring Kraft with the decisive run.

Senior starter Jeff Gordon gave up a pair of runs in the first inning, but settled down to put together a strong start. He threw 6.2 innings and struck out six, while scattering six hits and a pair of walks.

"We fell behind. Gordon did a very good job of keeping us in that game. There were situations where he had to make some critical pitches and did to keep the game close," Doffek said. "We then had some seniors come up with some big hits in the ninth inning. Buchholz had been struggling and he also had a two-out game-tying hit against Valparaiso. It was a really big hit. Then, with Benny Long, it's been kind of a struggle over the last week or so, then a big two-out hit."

UWM scored a single run in the third inning and, after Butler scored one of its own in the fifth, made it 3-2 on an inside the park home run from Kraft. On the play, Kraft lifted a fly ball to the corner in left field where the Bulldog outfielder dove to make a play. The fielder remained on the ground injured, as Kraft easily rounded the bases before the centerfielder could collect the loose ball.

Butler once regained its two-run cushion in the seventh, chasing Gordon. Sophomore Greg Blohowiak relieved Gordon with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief and senior Lucas Annen (2-2) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth inning. Hernandez tossed his second-straight complete game for the Bulldogs, striking out seven, walking three and surrendering 11 hits in dropping to 4-4 on the season.

The visitors were spotted a 4-0 lead in the nightcap as they combined three hits with a pair of Panther errors in the second inning. Junior Jayme Sukowaty (3-0) battled through the inning on the mound and allowed just three hits over the remainder of a six-inning outing.

"We put ourselves in a whole with some defensive miscues," Doffek said. "Sukowaty was really good. They centered some balls on him, but when he needed to make a pitch to get a double play, he got the double play ball. We didn't execute, but he executed his end of it. It was 4-0 in the second and it's really easy to let those games get away from you. He kept it at bay and, next thing you know, it's 4-3, then 5-4."

Milwaukee began its comeback in the third inning with three runs on four hits in the frame. Senior Nino Guerrero led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a ground out and then scored on the first of back-to-back run-scoring doubles. Kraft plated Guerrero and then scored on senior Shaun Wegner's two-bagger. Buchholz followed suit with a single and sophomore Paul Hoenecke hit UWM's third double of the inning to make it a one-run game.

One inning later, Guerrero once again led off by reaching base--this time on a single. Kraft reached on an error and Wegner followed with his second-straight run-scoring double to give the Panthers a 5-4 lead. Guerrero singled and scored for the third time in the sixth inning, giving Milwaukee a much-needed insurance run.

The Bulldogs would pull within one with a single run in the eighth, but get no closer. Sophomore Cameron Amsrud worked around a lead-off single in the ninth inning to lock down his seventh save of the season.

Wegner paced the Panther offense on the day with five hits and four RBIs in the doubleheader. Kraft added four hits and scored four runs.