Feb. 19, 2011

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team had the tying run in scoring position in the ninth inning but came up just short in falling to the University of Tennessee, 7-6, Saturday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Panthers (0-2) scored once and had a runner at first and second with no outs in their final at bat, only to see the Volunteers (2-0) retire the next three batters to end the game.

"To our credit, we never gave up and really fought back," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "I thought our at bats were much better today and we put ourselves in a position to win and just didn't execute. We hit the ball well today and played good defense. Hopefully, we come out tomorrow and put all three phases together."

Down 7-3 in the eighth inning, the Panthers scored on a wild pitch and added another on a ground out to make it a game again at 7-5.

Junior Paul Hoenecke doubled to lead off the ninth and, following a single by senior Sam Sivilotti, was plated on a hit to center by senior Doug Dekoning. However, Nick Williams was able to throw out the lead runner on a bunt attempt before getting a strike out and ground out to end it.

The Panthers led, 3-1, after batting in the third following Dekoning's two-RBI single to left and adding another on a wild pitch. However, they let the Vols right back in it in the home half of the frame, walking a batter after an 0-2 count and hitting another, setting up two runs in the rally to make it 3-3.

A leadoff walk in the fourth was thrown out at third on a base hit, taking some steam out of the Milwaukee offense. Despite another 10-hit game, the Panthers could not break through again in the scoring column until late in the contest.

"It was a good game overall, we just didn't execute a couple of things," Doffek said. "A couple of fundamental miscues really hurt us - we had the momentum there early and showed a little bit of our inexperience."

Senior Jayme Sukowaty started and worked 4.0 innings in the no-decision. He allowed three earned runs, giving up five hits while striking out two. Sophomore Eric Semmelhack (0-1) got touched for four earned runs in his 3.1 innings on the hill, also striking out two. Junior Kaleb Engelke closed out the game for UWM with two-thirds of an inning.

At the plate, Dekoning stayed hot with two more hits while driving in three, with Hoenecke (2-for-5, 2 runs), sophomore Jonathan Capasso (2-for-3) and senior Chad Pierce (2-for-3 as the DH) also recording multi-hit games. For the Vols, Tyler Horne was 3-for-4 with two RBI to pace the team.

The two teams wrap up the series Sunday with a noon start.