MILWAUKEE - After waiting 31 games, the third attempt at a home opener was a charm for the Milwaukee baseball team as it finally got the chance to play at Henry Aaron Field in 2016, outlasting Edgewood College for a 7-5 victory Wednesday.
 
The Panthers (16-16) put four runs on the board in the first inning and held on late when the Eagles (11-16) rallied in the ninth inning to the point where the tying run was at the plate when the game ended.
 
Aaron Buban got things going quickly for UWM in the first inning following a bases-loaded walk to Cole Heili that forced in the first run of the game. Buban followed with the big hit, a ringing double to the gap in left center that cleared the bases and made it 4-0.
 
Edgewood plated single runs against Austin Schulfer in the second and third, the only damage they could come up with against the Milwaukee starter. Schulfer (1-3) picked up the victory after allowing two runs in his 5.0 innings of work, allowing just four hits. He walked a pair and added a season-high six strikeouts.
 
Up 4-2 in the fifth, the Panthers tacked on three more to get the lead to 7-2. Daulton Varsho contributed a sac fly before Heili struck again, homering for the second straight game when he wrapped a long ball around the foul pole in left, a two-run shot that marked his team-leading sixth of the year.
 
Jay Peters (1.0 IP, 2 K's) relieved Schulfer and was followed by scoreless innings by Zach Brenner – who struck out all three batters he faced – and Jared Reklaitis.
 
The Eagles put together a final rally in the ninth, scoring three runs on three hits before Cal Haley was called on to get the final two outs for his second save of the season.
 
Up next, Milwaukee starts a weekend of Horizon League action with a pair of huge doubleheaders. Up first is Saturday at Valparaiso, with game one starting at 12 p.m.