April 8, 2011

Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. - Junior Kaleb Engelke recorded the final two outs with the tying run at second base to get the save and help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team earn a hard-fought, 4-3, win over UIC Friday at Les Miller Field. The Panthers (9-16, 3-1 Horizon League) overcame an early deficit against the Flames (13-13, 4-3 Horizon League), taking the lead in the fifth inning and then holding on from there for the league victory.

Senior Chad Pierce (3-3) earned the win, coming through with his second-consecutive quality start in league play. He ended up working the first 8.0 innings, allowing two earned runs in scattering six hits. He struck out six and walked three, getting out of jams with big pitches when needed in the 142-pitch effort.

"Another quality start by Chad - he did what he has been doing and gave us a great opportunity to win the game," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We scratched out enough runs in the middle of the game and Kaleb really picked us up when we got in trouble in the ninth inning."

Engelke came through with a big save, his second of the season. He was called on with one out in the ninth and the tying and winning runs on base. He threw three-straight strikes to fan the first batter he faced and fielded a comebacker to end it, giving the Flames their first loss at home this season (8-1).

Down 3-1 after three innings, Milwaukee tied the game in the fourth inning. Freshman Ryan Solberg singled in a run and freshman Derek Peake plated another with a ground out.

It was another freshman that scored the eventual winning run in the fifth. Tell Taylor reached on an infield single to start the frame. Senior Doug Dekoning followed with a well-placed bunt, reaching first on the hit. The throw to first got by and sailed down the right field line, allowing Taylor to come all the way around to score the go-ahead tally.

"We executed some small ball - Doug put down a great bunt and put some pressure on their defense and forced a mistake and we got a couple of other big hits," Doffek said. "It just wasn't a hitter's day - the wind was blowing in, cold temperatures - both teams struggled a bit on offense. But those are the things you have to do to win a game."

Pierce danced around danger from there. In the fifth, a wild pitch sent a UIC runner to third with two outs. Pierce then struck out Jason Ganek - who had homered off Pierce in the third - to end the rally.

"His (Pierce's) pitch count for him is really overrated with his conditioning program," Doffek said. "He really wanted to go back out in the ninth. He felt good and the eighth inning was probably the best he threw all night. It was a tough decision to take him out, but it's a long season and we are going to need that arm fresh down the road too."

Pierce stranded runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh as well, with Dekoning making a game-changing play to start the seventh. With the one-run lead and Andy Leonard at the plate, a flare to center looked to be a leadoff hit for UIC's No. 9 batter. Dekoning changed that, charging in and making a terrific diving play for the out.

The Milwaukee offense was limited to eight hits by Matt Salemi (3-3), who took the loss despite the complete-game effort. He struck out five and walked two. Solberg finished as the only Panther with more then one hit (2-for-4, run, RBI), while senior Cole Kraft did add career hit No. 199 in the contest.

These two teams are back at it tomorrow, finishing the series with a doubleheader. Game one is set for a first pitch of 12:05 p.m.