May 7, 2011

Box Score

NILES, Ohio - Freshman Sam Koenig drove in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning to help the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team record a 3-2 victory over Youngstown State University in game one of a doubleheader Saturday at Eastwood Field.

Senior Cole Kraft hit a home run in the eighth inning to tie the contest at 2-2. He then also led off the 10th with a base hit and scored the eventual winning run. The Panthers (22-23, 11-8 Horizon League) had to settle for the doubleheader split on the day when the Penguins (12-33, 7-11 Horizon League) won game two, 12-9, but did claim the series by a count of two games to one.

Sophomore Eric Semmelhack pitched very well in the opener despite not recording the victory. He worked 8.0 strong innings, allowing just two runs while scattering seven hits. He walked no one and struck out a pair.

Junior Kaleb Engelke (3-1) picked up the win, striking out one batter in a perfect ninth. Junior Greg Blohowiak retired two in the 10th before senior Cuyler Franzke struck out the final batter on three pitches with the tying run at third base to record his second save.

"Semmelhack really gave us a good start and then the bullpen held Youngstown in check," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "Kraft had a really big home run to tie it and then we got a clutch, two-out hit to win it - just a great team victory."

Down, 2-0, after five innings, Milwaukee got a run back in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by senior Doug Dekoning and junior Paul Hoenecke.

After finally getting to the YSU bullpen to start the eighth, Kraft sent a 2-1 pitch deep down the right field line to tie it up. Penguin starter Phil Klein pitched very well, striking out seven, allowing just a run on four hits.

The Panthers finished with nine hits in the opener, led by Kraft (2-for-3, 2 runs) and Hoenecke (2-for-4). The defense helped out as well, turning a double play on a failed sac bunt attempt in the eighth. Semmelhack also started a pick off attempt with runners on first and third and one out in the seventh, eventually throwing out the runner from third trying to score.

The Panthers took a 9-8 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning in the nightcap, but a three-run home run by Joe Iacobucci gave YSU the lead they would never relinquish in the 12-9 decision.

Down, 8-7, in the sixth, UWM went ahead with a pair of runs, scoring on a throwing error and a wild pitch.

Back and forth through the early stages of the game, Milwaukee led 2-0 after the first and then again at 3-2 after its half of the second. Then down 6-3 after two innings, UWM scored two each in the third and fourth, taking a 7-6 lead on Hoenecke's RBI-single.

The Penguins tied the game again in the bottom and took the lead back with a run in the fifth before UWM's final rally.

"The second game was a shame," Doffek said. "We did a good job in the box early in the game to put up some runs. We just were not competitive on the mound. We have grown accustomed to good pitching over the past month and a half and in game two we just did not have it. We were working behind in the count way too much and they made us pay. We do have many positives to take from the whole weekend though. We are going to try and build off those and move forward."

The offense banged out 12 hits, with Kraft going 4-for-5 with three runs scored to lead the way. Hoenecke (3-for-5, 2 RBI) was the only other player in the lineup with more than one. Jeremy Banks had four hits and four RBI to lead YSU.

The Panthers continue the May road swing with a weekend of back-to-back doubleheaders. Milwaukee plays at Valparaiso May 14 and then Butler May 15.