May 21, 2014

Box Score

MEQUON, Wis. - Senior Tyler Thicke threw a complete game and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team overcame a late deficit with three runs in the seventh inning en route to a 4-2 victory in the opening contest of the 2014 Horizon League Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Kapco Park.

The Panthers (20-27) scored first but trailed the Grizzlies (12-32) after Oakland scored once in the fifth inning and another time in the seventh to lead, 2-1.

Thicke (6-5) pitched a gem, scattering seven hits, walking one and striking out six batters in the complete-game effort. He threw 105 pitches and worked around trouble when needed to allow Milwaukee the chance for the late comeback.

"In these conditions, this yard is playing big and it was just a matter of pounding the zone and playing catch behind him," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "For the most part, that was exactly what we did - he did a great job."

The seventh provided the difference. Down, 2-1, junior Derek Peake led off with a double and advanced to third on an error. A hit batter made it first and third, but Peake could not score on a fly ball to right. Senior Ryan Solberg then stepped to the plate, doubling down the right field line to tie the game at 2-2.

"Ryan has been there all year," Doffek said. "He is our go-to- guy and he stepped up today again. It was unfortunate, early in the game we had some opportunities to take charge of that game and we just broke down fundamentally. But, we stayed with it, Thicke kept getting us back in the dugout and we finally broke through with some hits."

Senior Pat Wilson followed with an infield single to make it 3-2 and UWM made it 4-2 on a sac fly off the bat of junior Tyler Hermann.

Thicke did the rest, stranding runners in scoring position in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. He also got stronger as the game went on, retiring the final six batters of the day.

Wilson finished 2-for-4, while junior Mike Porcaro (2-for-4, RBI) and sophomore Mitch Ghelfi (2-for-3) added multi-hit days.

With the victory, Milwaukee advances in the winner's bracket. The team knows it will play either Wright State at 7 p.m. or UIC at 3 p.m., with the opponent depending on who wins the Valparaiso/Youngstown State game that is being played at 3 p.m. today.

Check back later tonight on the UWM website for an update.