ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Milwaukee baseball team locked up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament with an 8-4 victory over Oakland University Friday afternoon at Oakland Baseball Field.
 
The Panthers (31-23, 17-10 Horizon League) struck for two runs in the second inning and then put the game away against the Golden Grizzlies (22-26, 10-14 Horizon League) with a six-run rally in the fifth inning.
 
The victory locks up second place for Milwaukee and gives them a bye out of the first round of games in the postseason next week.
 
"We were timely with some big hits today," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "It turned into kind of a repeat of yesterday. Goodman did a good job of minimizing any trouble he got into and I thought Schulfer's stuff was electric to close it out." 
 
Elijah Goodman (5-0) stayed perfect on the season with the victory, tying the school record for wins by a freshman pitcher (set three other times). He allowed all four runs, walking none and striking out four. Austin Schulfer was dominant in earning the save, striking out seven in 3.2 scoreless innings.
 
Luke Meeteer had an RBI-single in the fifth inning to tie Jesse Hart for the all-time program lead with his 267^th hit.
 
It was one of just eight on the day for the Panthers, who were efficient on offense. They struck for a pair in the second, starting with a Meeteer walk and a single by Nick Unes. Following a double steal, a groundout and sac fly made it 2-0.
 
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth, when Oakland pushed across a pair of runs on four hits to make it a new game.
 
Milwaukee fought back immediately, taking control with a crooked number in the top of the fifth. A single by Eric Solberg and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Billy Quirke broke the deadlock, doubling down the right field line to score two. Daulton Varsho followed suit, and his two-bagger knocked in two more. Meeteer's record-tying hit came next and added an RBI, as did Unes with another double in the frame.
 
The Grizzlies tried to get back into it in the sixth and Schulfer was brought into the contest. He got out of the sixth and proceeded to add six K's in the final three innings, including the side in the eighth.
 
Varsho (2-for-5, run, 2 RBI) and Unes (2-for-4, RBI, run) were the only players to end the day with multi-hit efforts for UWM. Unes has now hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games and is batting .379 with 14 RBI in the stretch.
 
Meeteer also stole bases number 23 and 24 on the season
 
Zach Sterry (3-for-5) and Ben Hart (3-for-3) paced the OU attack.
 
The series, and regular season, concludes Saturday with a first pitch 12 p.m. CST. The game will also feature a live broadcast on ESPN3.