April 9, 2014

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team broke up a late 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the eighth inning and then held on from there for a 3-2 victory over Northern Illinois University Wednesday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Sophomore Jake Tuttle got the midweek start and threw 5.0 solid innings, scattering seven hits in allowing just one run. He walked one and struck out two.

"Jake Tuttle gave us a real nice start today and our bullpen was outstanding," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We also played sharp defense. We had to scratch today on offense but we did just enough."

Tied, 1-1, in the eighth, the Panthers (10-12) scored a pair of runs against the Huskies (7-22-1) to grab a 3-1 advantage. Junior Mike Porcaro hit a leadoff double and was driven in by a double by senior Pat Wilson. The team also added what turned out to be a key insurance run on a wild pitch later in the frame.

NIU rallied, but junior Cody Peterson came in for his first save at UWM, getting out of a two-out, two-on jam in the eighth and a scoreless ninth where he worked around a two-out walk.

That made a winner out of freshman Adam Reuss (1-1), who pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out a pair. Ryan Olson (0-2) was the tough-luck loser for NIU, allowing just one unearned run in 7.0 innings of work.

The offense collected nine hits, led by three players who had two each. Porcaro (2-for-4), Wilson (2-for-5) and senior Ryan Solberg (2-for-4) each had the multi-hit efforts.

Up next, the Panthers head to Ohio for a battle between the top two teams in the Horizon League. First game of the series is set for a first pitch of 5:30 p.m. CST Friday.