March 4, 2011

Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Senior Doug Dekoning hit two home runs to get the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team within one run before the University of Arkansas pulled away late in a 15-6 decision Friday at Baum Stadium. Dekoning's second home run of the day, a three-run shot, helped the Panthers (1-5) make it a game at 7-6 in the fifth inning, only to see the No. 16 Razorbacks (8-1) respond with four runs in the sixth inning and four more in the eighth to put it away.

"I was really proud of the way the guys fought back after getting in that early hole," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "When you play a good team like this, you have to execute in all phases and we just didn't throw enough strikes. After we got back in it, the defense got back on its heels and extended some innings and you just can't do that against an opponent like this."

Dekoning finished with a career-best five runs batted, with senior Chad Pierce, sophomore Nick Lingvay and freshman Tell Taylor all adding multi-hit performances. Matt Vinson led Arkansas with three hits and four runs batted.

"It was good to see the offense grind out some at bats today," Doffek said. "I feel like it was the first time our approach was starting to make sense this year. Even though the scoreboard doesn't show it, there were a lot of positives."

The Panthers fell behind after a five-run, five-hit second inning by Arkansas that pushed the lead to 6-0. Milwaukee mounted its comeback in the fourth and fifth, with Dekoning ripping a two-run shot to left in his second at bat and a three-run home run down the left field line in his third to make it 7-6 at the time.

Arkansas retook the momentum with a home-run barrage of its own, hitting three of them in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

These two teams continue the series Saturday, set for a first pitch of 2:05 p.m.