May 27, 2010

Box Score

GARY, Ind. - Junior Chad Pierce allowed just one run in a complete-game effort to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a victory over Valparaiso University in the Horizon League Tournament Thursday afternoon at the U.S. Steel Yard. The Panthers (30-23) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead against the Crusaders (23-31) and Pierce did the rest, allowing just six hits in the 3-1 win.

"I can't say enough about the performance that Chad gave us today," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "He really was in command of three pitches from the first inning on. We made routine plays behind him and his pace and rhythm was very good. It was not an easy day to hit, so it was just a matter of pounding the zone and letting the defense play and he really did that."

Pierce (6-4) worked out of trouble when needed, ending the day with just one walk and four strikeouts. He threw 150 pitches in the game (his previous high was 138), but none bigger than in the eighth inning when he got Ryan O'Gara - Valpo's No. 4 hitter - to ground out with runners on first and third to end the final threat and strand the tying run on base.

Milwaukee jumped out right away against Jon Gulbransen (4-6), plating two runs in the first inning. Freshman Jonathan Capasso singled to lead off and moved to second on senior Shaun Wegner's hit-and-run single through the hole. After a sacrifice bunt from junior Cole Kraft, senior Dan Buchholz came through with a clutch base hit up the middle to make it 2-0.

"That was absolutely huge," Doffek said. "We talked before the game about being able to execute the small stuff. We executed a hit-and-run for a base hit to put some pressure on them. Our three-hitter comes up and lays down a really good bunt and Buchholz pushes one through. It was 2-0 and we really didn't hit the ball very hard. So it was execution of that small stuff."

The Panthers would tack on one more in the fourth inning on junior Doug Dekoning's ground out while Pierce worked out of a few small jams. The Crusaders broke through with a run on Kyle Muhlsteff's sixth-inning home run, but that was about the only bad pitch that Pierce, who was named the U.S. Army Player of the Game, threw all contest.

As the No. 2 seed, UWM had a first-round bye and was playing in its first game of the tournament. With the win, it advances in the winner's bracket and used just one pitcher to do so after Pierce's great outing.

"You can't write it up any better," Doffek said. "Wright State is also in a good position with the bye, but they have to win a ballgame too. We are just taking it one game at a time, but that first one went really well."

Milwaukee was led offensively by Capasso, Buchholz and senior Ben Long, who all ended the game 2-for-4. Long had a double and a triple and scored once.

With the win, the Panthers claimed victory number 30 on the season, marking the seventh time in program history, and first since 2006, to reach that milestone. The team will play its next game at 7 p.m. Friday, taking on either Wright State or Youngstown State - the two teams playing in tonight's late game at the U.S. Steel Yard.