PHOENIX, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team battled all day but came up on the wrong end of a pair of walkoff decisions at the hands of Grand Canyon University Friday at Brazell Stadium.
 
The Panthers (3-3) dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Antelopes (9-1), a team that came into the weekend receiving votes in a majority of the national polls. Milwaukee fell in 11 innings by a score of 10-9 in the nightcap after dropping a 2-1 decision in the opener of a game that they led late.
 
"Anytime you are one out away from a victory and lose it hurts," Panther head coach Scott Doffek said. "Brian Keller just did a great job of pitching the baseball in game one. That is a good team that is red hot to start the season and we can't wait to get back to the field and compete again tomorrow."
 
UWM overcame a pair of three-run deficits in the second game, overcoming a 9-6 hole in the seventh inning with a big rally. After a walk and a single, senior Sam Koenig made it a one-run game with a double to right center that scored two. Senior Tell Taylor then made it a new game at 9-9 with a single.
 
Milwaukee had a chance in the top of the 11^th, but stranded a leadoff double. A walk, sac bunt and single to center field by Garrison Schwartz plated the winner for GCU.
 
"I was interested to see how we would respond after that tough loss in game one," Doffek said. "We got down early, but showed a lot of heart in coming right back and taking the lead. I was really happy with our bullpen and the effort they showed. We had an opportunity in extra innings to take the lead and their kid made a great pitch in a huge situation to get out of it."
 
Koenig (2 runs/2 RBI), junior Luke Meeteer (2 runs), junior Mitch Ghelfi (2 runs) and Taylor all finished with two hits. Schwartz had three hits and drove in four for the 'Lopes.
 
Down 3-0 in the third, a five-run UWM rally turned the game around. Junior Nick Unes' two-run double put Milwaukee ahead at the time.
 
Senior Joe Pavlovich started but went just 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs. Sophomore Zach Brenner (1.0 IP/2K) and seniors Cal Haley (1.0 IP/K) and Gunnar Eastman (2.0 IP) all put in scoreless efforts in relief to give their team the opportunity to win.
 
The Panthers lost a tough one in the opener as well, coming in a game scheduled for seven innings. The Antelopes pushed across a pair of runs in the last of the seventh, stealing a 2-1 decision on a walkoff suicide squeeze.
 
Junior Brian Keller (1-1) was throwing a gem, taking a shutout into the final frame. He got out of trouble when needed, picking off a runner from second base in the fifth inning and using a caught stealing to UWM's advantage in the sixth.
 
The Antelopes came back in the seventh, using three singles and a sac bunt to tie the contest at 1-1. Following an intentional walk to load the bases and a pitching change, Greg Saenz came through with the pinch-hit bunt to claim the win.
 
Scoreless until the fourth, the Panthers scratched across a single run that appeared to be enough to claim the win until late. Ghelfi was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a single by Koenig, was sacrificed to third and scored on a wild pitch.
 
The Panthers had just three hits in the opener, as Andrew Naderer (3-0) pitched very well for GCU. In addition to Koenig, seniors Ryan McShane and Taylor each had a hit. Naderer pitched the complete game, walking nobody while striking out nine.
 
Keller went 6.1 innings, scattering nine hits in allowing the two earned runs. He walked one and struck out one.
 
The weekend series wraps up with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 2:30 p.m. CST.