April 15, 2012

Box Score: Game 1 | Box Score: Game 2

DAYTON, Ohio - Seniors Paul Hoenecke and Phil Striggow and junior Nick Lingvay hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the third inning to help send the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a 9-7 victory over Wright State University in game two of a doubleheader Sunday at Nischwitz Stadium.

The three-consecutive long balls gave the Panthers (13-19, 7-8 Horizon League) a 7-0 lead in the contest. The Raiders (23-11, 12-3 Horizon League) made a comeback to get within two in the seventh, but that was as close as they would get in having their 14-game winning streak snapped. Milwaukee settled for the split on the day after falling, 8-3, in the opener.

"It was good to salvage one there today," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We felt like we let a series victory slip away, but definitely showed some resolve by finishing strong. I felt like our hitters really showed up this weekend and executed the plan. It was very encouraging."

WSU scored a run in the seventh to make it 9-7 and then had a rally going in the eighth inning. With runners on second and third and two outs, junior Alex Erdmann come on in relief and induced a fly ball to center to end the threat. Then, in the ninth, the Raiders again had the tying run at the plate after a two-out single, but Erdmann again got a fly ball to center to end it and record his first collegiate save.

"We did not pitch up the standards we have set, but that is a very mature lineup," Doffek said. "They deserve some of the credit for that. Every game is big from here on out and we need to get that positive energy flowing."

The Panthers raced out to an early lead, scoring three in the second before the home runs accounted for the four-run third inning. Helped along by four WSU errors, UWM had just two hits in the frame but led 3-0 after an inning and a half.

In the third, Hoenecke's first blast was a two-run shot to right field, while Striggow (two pitches later) and Lingvay (full count) both hit theirs to left. The round-tripper for Lingvay was the first of his career.

Sophomore Sam Koenig and freshman Michael Porcaro continued their red-hot hitting, both ending game two with 3-for-5 outings. Porcaro went 8-for-12 (.667) on the weekend, while Koenig extended his hitting streak to 11 games, a stretch that has seen him hit .522 (24-for-46), raising his batting average from .149 to .296 on the season.

Lingvay (2-for-4) and Hoenecke (2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 runs) also had multi-hit games and Striggow finished with two runs batted in and scored three times. Jake Hibberd and Zach Tanner both had three hits to pace the Raiders.

Sophomore Mike Schneider (1-4) picked up the win despite allowing five runs in 5.0 innings. He gave up eight hits, walked three and struck out four. Senior Kaleb Engelke also helped out with a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.

UWM led the opener, 2-0 in the top of the third and tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth, but that was it as Wright State plated four runs in a decisive fifth inning and stymied the Milwaukee offense the rest of the way in winning, 8-3.

Koenig was 3-for-4 and sophomore Ryan Solberg was 2-for-4 with a home run as the only players with more than one hit. Hibberd was 3-for-4 with a home run for WSU.

Junior Cale Tassi (2-4) took the loss, harmed by a pair of UWM errors that allowed only four of the seven runs he gave up to be earned. He pitched 4.2 innings, walking none and striking out three. Senior Greg Blohowiak did not allow an earned run in 2.1 innings of relief.

The Panthers stay on the road for a midweek game against Northwestern, taking on the Wildcats April 17 in a 3 p.m. start. Then, it's back home to host Youngstown State Friday through Saturday.