Skip To Main Content

Milwaukee Athletics

Skip Ad
Brian Keller
Junior Brian Keller
10
Winner Milwaukee UWM 1-0
0
Maine MAINE 0-1
Winner
Milwaukee UWM
1-0
10
Final
0
Maine MAINE
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Milwaukee UWM 0 1 3 2 1 3 0 0 0 10 13 1
Maine MAINE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3

W: Keller, Brian (1-0) L: Gelinas, Jeff (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Panthers Dominate Season Opener, 10-0

Total team effort leads to easy win to start the year

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Junior Brian Keller pitched six scoreless innings and the offense did the rest from there as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team claimed a dominating 10-0, opening-day win over the University of Maine Friday afternoon from Chain of Lakes Stadium.
 
It was a big day at the plate for the Panthers (1-0), who won their season opener for the first time since a 2-0 win over St. Mary's (CA) back in 2006. The 10 runs marks just the second time in program history UWM registered double-digit runs in the first game of the year, last coming in a 16-6 win in 1995.
 
UWM pounded out 13 hits on the day and scored in five-straight innings. They allowed just five hits and also flashed plenty of leather in the complete team win to start the season.
 
"It all starts with Brian Keller," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "Early on, he dictated the tempo using both sides of the plate. He had a good three-or-four pitch mix and then we put up that one and Herm (Tyler Hermann) got a big two-out hit. I thought the momentum really shifted to our side there and we were able to create some pressure on the bases and have some good at bats.
 
Milwaukee didn't take long to get its offense going to start the season, plating run No. 1 in just the second inning. Senior Sam Koenig singled, advanced to second on a walk and then scored on a throwing error to give UWM the early lead.
 
The Panthers then poured it on in the third. With two on an one out, Koenig ripped a double down the first base line, scoring Luke Meeteer from second. Hermann came up next and roped a single back up the middle scoring Derek Peake and Koenig, staking Milwaukee with a quick 4-0 lead.
 
UWM didn't stop there, though. Tell Taylor scored on an Eric Solberg single with one out to start the fourth, chasing the Maine (0-1) starter. After Solberg stole second, Peake drove the sophomore in on a single to center to make it 6-0.
 
After Nick Unes scored in the fifth to make it 7-0, the Panthers closed out their scoring in the sixth.
 
Meeteer led off with a single and stole second and third. Peake walked followed by a Mitch Ghelfi hit by pitch. Koenig singled to center to drive in Meeteer and Peake. After Hermann reached on an error to reload the bases, Unes knocked Ghelfi in on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-0.
 
"It's amazing," Doffek said of the team's offense. "You never know. You come out of the gym, come out of the batting cages and it does take a little while. There were some at bats that I thought we gave away that I think we need to improve on, but for the most part, you can't ask for a better start."
 
That was more than enough for the Panther pitchers on the day. Keller was lights out from start to finish, scattering four hits over six innings of action. The junior struck out four and walked none in a solid start to the season.
 
Eric King, Cal Haley and Austin Schulfer combined to allow just one hit in the final three innings to close out the win.
 
Milwaukee was able to make eight changes to its lineup throughout the game, including the collegiate debuts by Cole Heili, Daulton Varsho and Schulfer.
 
"I think every position player that was active got in the game, which was good," Doffek said. "We got to chip a little rust off of the bullpen and get the butterflies out and having a lead like that helps. Those are guys we're going to count on in some critical situations as we move forward so I think it was important."
 
The Panthers are right back at it tomorrow for a doubleheader with Maine, starting at noon eastern.
 
Print Friendly Version