May 7, 2010

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - Senior Tim Patzman tripled in the eventual winning runs in the seventh inning to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team claim a 9-6 come-from-behind victory over Wright State University Friday night at Nischwitz Stadium. The Panthers (22-19, 10-6 Horizon) jumped out to a 5-0 advantage only to see the Raiders (24-19, 12-5 Horizon) come back to take a 6-5 lead. Paztman's base-clearing triple completed the comeback and gave head coach Scott Doffek the 100th win of his UWM career.

The victory was a big one in the league standings as well, as the Panthers now climb to within a half game of first place with two more to play Saturday.

"That was big time," Doffek said. "We talk about playing all 54 outs and that there will be ebbs and flows; some times you will be up and some times you will be down. Good teams will find a way to compete throughout the whole game. Many, many times this year we have had an early lead and given it up late. When we were down in the seventh, we have been on the other side of that a bunch, so it was really encouraging to see the guys grind it out and find a way."

With one down in the seventh, junior Cole Kraft walked. Senior Ben Long followed with a double to right center that set the table for Patzman. He sent a sinking liner to right center that the diving WSU fielder missed. It cleared the bases and made it 7-6 in UWM's favor at the time. The team would tack on some insurance runs, with senior Shaun Wegner driving in a run in the eighth and junior Sam Sivilotti closing out the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

Junior Chad Pierce (4-3) earned the victory, working into the seventh inning. He gave up six runs, but just two were earned, and struck out three. He ran into trouble in the fourth, throwing almost 40 pitches when the Raiders plated five, helped along by two errors and a controversial hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.

"I really thought after the five-spot in the fourth, he started to throw the ball better," Doffek said. "So, I don't know if that cleared his head or got him more focused but he threw the ball better after that. It was huge to keep the momentum equal instead of letting them run away with it."

Wright State threatened in the seventh when it was still a one-run game. Ryan Ashe tripled to left with two outs. On the play, Patzman made an apparent catch but ran into the wall. He injured his elbow on the play and had to be replaced. Sophomore Greg Blohowiak came on and retired Gerald Ogrinc, who came into the game batting .358, on a ground ball to second.

WSU drew a leadoff walk in the eighth, but sophomore Cameron Amsrud induced a bouncing ball to junior Jim Lundstrom - who had just entered the game as a pinch-runner the previous inning. Lundstrom made a great play to tag the runner and complete the double play. Senior Nino Guerrero then made a diving catch in right center to end the frame. Amsrud retired all five batters he faced to record his sixth save of the year.

"Lundstrom made a great play there," Doffek said. "He had been sitting on the bench all day and comes in and makes a tricky play, even if you've been in the game, let alone when you have been sitting there. And then Nino played an outstanding right field today."

Milwaukee banged out 14 hits on the day despite striking out 15 times. Sophomore Paul Hoenecke had three of them and Wegner finished 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a key three-run double in the second inning. Patzman finished with two hits and two runs batted in. Senior Dan Buchholz and Sivilotti also had two hits and Kraft hit a two-run home run.

These two teams play a key doubleheader tomorrow, with game one slated for a first pitch at noon CST.