The race for positioning in the Horizon League standings heats up for the Milwaukee baseball team, as it continues play this week with a pair of key doubleheaders on the weekend. With the top two seeds in the final standings both earning byes in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament, each of the final seven conference games carries significant importance. Heading into play this week, the Panthers sit in third place at 12-9 and are just 1.5 games out of second (UIC is 14-8).

Following the final contest of a 13-game homestand, the Panthers hit the road for twinbills at Northern Kentucky Friday and Wright State Saturday. Game one in each will get underway at 11 a.m. CST. All five games played during the week will have live statistics available. Tuesday's game at Henry Aaron Field against the Redbirds gets underway at 3 p.m. and will be televised on a tape-delay basis on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel with Bob Brainerd and Scott Warras on the call.

The 2016 campaign marks the 52nd season of baseball at UWM. It is also the 46th season of varsity play (the program was played at the club level from 1982-1986) and the 26th in the Panthers NCAA Division I era.

HOME COOKING
Milwaukee is at the end of a stretch of 13 games in a row at home (over 17 days), starting with a doubleheader against UIC April 24 and ending with the single game against Illinois State May 10. That marks the longest stretch at home since a 13-gamer back in 2007. That time, the Panthers went 10-3 in the span between April 28 and May 9. UWM is 9-3 heading into the final game of this homestand this time around.

LOOKING AT THE OPPONENTS
The Redbirds used a ninth-inning walkoff 4-3 win to avoid a sweep at the hands of Bradley Sunday, scoring the final run of the game when Owen Miller avoided a pair of tags at home plate to end it. The team now stands at 15-30 overall on the season. Miller paces the offense with a .323 average and also tops the squad with 39 runs batted in. No other regular is over .300, as Joe Kelch is the second-leading batter at .282.

Illinois State posted a 27-27 overall record in 2015, including a 9-12 mark in MVC play. This season, the team was picked sixth with Jacob Hendren and Kelch named to the preseason all-conference team. The 2015 campaign marked the first for head coach Bo Durkac.

League newcomer Northern Kentucky starts the week at 18-31 overall and 7-19 in league play after getting swept by UIC and sweeping Valparaiso on the weekend. They also play at Xavier Tuesday. The squad is coming off a 17-34 campaign a season ago and are led by Todd Asalon, who has gone 473-390-1 in 15 years as the head coach at the school. Logan Spurlin tops the offense at .321 with a league-best nine home runs and 35 RBI, while Will Haueter is the only other player at .300 or better, starting the week at .301, adding 21 runs and 18 RBI.

The Raiders are having another strong season and enter the week at 34-13 overall (they play at Toledo Wednesday and host UIC Friday and are in control in league play at 18-4. The team is coming off a 43-17 record last season, playing in the NCAA Tournament once again, nearly winning its regional. This year, five regulars bat .300 or better, led by Brad Macciocchi at .381. Mitch Roman is at .335 with 32 RBI and 22 steals, JD Orr checks in at .312 and Ryan Fucci is at .309 with a team-high 44 RBI.

SERIES HISTORY
The Panthers are now 5-6 all-time against Illinois State after taking three straight in late March (including a school-record 18-inning affair), having last played them prior to that in a weekend tournament on a neutral field at Austin Peay in February of the 2011 season. The Panthers won two of three in a weekend series on the road in 2005, while the Redbirds won all three played between the two programs in the early 1990's.

Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky just met the first time on the baseball diamond at the end of April, with all three games resulting in shutouts and the Panthers taking two out of three.

Milwaukee is 52-56 against Wright State all-time following a split up at Kapco Park earlier this season, with the Raiders holding the recent edge. WSU recorded a 6-2 mark between the two teams in 2015, including a win in the Horizon League Tournament Championship. Overall, the Raiders have won 15 of the past 19 in the series. That follows a dominant stretch in 2012-13 where the Panthers won eight of 10.

THE WEEK THAT WAS
Milwaukee went 5-1 on the week, including a 3-1 mark in a pair of Horizon League doubleheaders. The offense was very good, scoring 41 runs and batting .337 overall. Luke Meeteer (.467) was on fire, posting a .636 OBP and adding six stolen bases. Aaron Buban (.389, 6 RBI), Daulton Varsho (.381, 5 RBI), Billy Quirke (.348), Nick Unes (.320) and Cole Heili (.304) all batted .300 or better in the six games.

The pitching staff was just as good, posting a team ERA of 2.60 with four different pitchers - Brian Keller, Elijah Goodman, Austin Schulfer and Jake Tuttle - all posting 0.00 earned run averages.

THE 200 CLUB
In the history of the Milwaukee baseball program, 12 players have recorded over 200 career hits at the NCAA Division I level now that Luke Meeteer managed the feat against Ball State Feb. 26 when he led off the contest with a double down the left field line. Mike Porcaro and Sam Koenig had been the most recent, joining in 2015. Not only has Meeteer joined the list in 2016, but he will have the chance to break the all-time record of 267.

Below is the current list of the "200 Club".
1. Jesse Hart (2005-08): 267 career hits
T2. Meeteer (2012-16): 260 (started season at 194)
T2. Doug Dekoning (2008-11): 260
4. Cole Kraft (2008-11): 250
5. Darin Haugom (1997-2001): 245
6. Paul Hoenecke (2009-12): 242
7. Sam Koenig (2011-15): 233
8. Ross McCoy (2004-07): 220
9. Mike Porcaro (2012-15): 215
10. Charlie Reschke (2002-05): 213
11. Jonathan Capasso (2010-13): 211
12. Nick Wichser (2004-08): 206

MORE MEETEER MINUTIA
Luke Meeteer will leave his name all over the record book upon completing his senior campaign this year. Other career records he is chasing include:

RUNS SCORED
1. Darin Haugom, 179, 1997-2001
-Meeteer, currently in second place at 178

AT BATS
1. Paul Hoenecke, 803, 2009-12
-Meeteer now holds the record at 807

GAMES PLAYED
1. Doug Dekoning, 222, 2008-11
-Meeteer, currently in third place at 210

WALKS
1. Jak Kraus, 99, 1992-96
-Meeteer, currently in fifth place at 92

KELLER MAKING HIS WAY UP
Brian Keller is in the midst of an impressive senior campaign and is slowly creeping his way up the record book lists as well. One of the big targets for Keller the rest of the way will be the Milwaukee career strikeout record as well as the season strikeout standard.

STRIKEOUTS, CAREER
1. Quintin Oldenburg, 238, 1998-2002
-Keller currently second with 223

STRIKEOUTS, SEASON
1. Ben Stanczyk, 95, 2004
-Keller currently in third place with 87

INNINGS PITCHED
1. Robert Michalkiewicz, 298.0, 2004-07
-Keller currently tied for the top spot with 298.0

GAMES STARTED
1. Robert Michalkiewicz, 48, 2004-07
-Keller currently in fourth place with 41

SENIOR SALUTE
Due to the schedule being heavy with road games to close the season, May 7 against YSU served as "Senior Day" for the 2016 Panthers. The team saluted its eight-member class with an on-field presentation. Congratulations and best wishes to: Dan Barwick, Aaron Buban, Cal Haley, Brian Keller, Luke Meeteer, Mason Pingel, Jake Tuttle and Nick Unes.

MAN, HE WAS GOOD
Elijah Goodman continues to impress in his debut campaign, joining a small list in program history when he totaled 11 strikeouts in his 8.0 scoreless frames in his victory over Northern Kentucky April 30. He missed the record for most strikeouts by a frosh by just one (12 by Justin Langley), becoming the sixth UWM freshman in school history to record 10-or-more strikeouts in a game.

IT'S MILLER TIME
Through a marketing agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Panthers have played at Miller Park every season since 2002. UWM has now posted a record of 16-10 in games at the major league park, following a 3-0 loss to Northern Kentucky this season.

HE GONE
Senior Luke Meeteer entered the 2016 campaign tied with Darin Haugom (1997-2001) for the career stolen base mark with 73. He broke the career mark with No. 74 against Kansas State March 11 when he swiped second after a single in the first inning. He would add his 75th just a few pitches later with a steal of third base as well.

1. Meeteer - 95 career stolen bases
2. Haugom - 73
3. Andy Bjornlie (1994-98) - 49

WALK THIS WAY
When you look at the box score from Daulton Varsho's performance against UIC in game one of a doubleheader April 24, it officially reads 0-for-1 with an RBI. But, a closer look reveals he tied one school record and set another. Varsho walked in the first, added a sac fly in the third, grounded out in the eighth and was intentionally walked in the fifth, 10th and 12th innings. The three intentional base on balls are a new school mark and the four total walks in a game tied the standard that has now been achieved four times, most recently by Andy Hetebrueg in April of 2007.

PILE UP THE K'S
In that same 12-inning contest, the pitching staff also tied a program record. Adam Reuss recorded eight strikeouts in his start and Cal Haley added a career high by fanning seven batters in his 3.2 innings of work. Jake Tuttle also had a K, giving Milwaukee 16 on the day to equal the school record for most strikeouts in a game (also had 16 against Wisconsin Lutheran in April of 2015). The team has also fanned 15 in a game five times.

LET'S TRY AGAIN
By the time the home opener "officially" got here April 20 against Edgewood, the Panthers played 31 regular-season games (plus the exhibition against the Brewers, so technically 32) either on the road or on a neutral field before finally getting to play at Henry Aaron Field. That becomes the new school record for most contests away from Milwaukee before finally playing a true home game.
1. 2016: 31 games, first home game date April 20
2. 2008: 30 games, first home game date April 15
3. 2013: 29 games, first home game date April 24

ALL 27 BY HIMSELF
Following a brilliant outing against Wright State April 9, Brian Keller was rewarded with Horizon League Pitcher of the Week honors from the conference office and Horizon League Player of the Week honors by College Sports Madness. The senior pitched a gem, allowing just three singles in his 118-pitch outing. He struck out nine and walked two, recording the first shutout of his career and fifth complete game. All three hits came in the first two innings, as he set down 16 batters in a row from the second out of the second inning until he gave up a two-out walk in the seventh.

That marked the first complete-game shutout for a Panther starting pitcher since Cody Peterson's one-hitter against Valparaiso back on April 18, 2014, a span of 106 games played by the team.

MORE LIKE A HIT-22 THAN A CATCH-22
Milwaukee pounded out a season-high 24 hits and scored 22 runs against the Penguins in game two of a doubleheader March 26, marking the 22nd time in program history the team scored at least 20 in a single contest. There were collegiate-bests all over the lineup: Eric Solberg set career highs in hits and RBI and tied his collegiate-best in runs scored by finishing 4-for-7 with four runs driven in and three runs scored. Daulton Varsho also had the best day of his young Panther career, setting new highs with four hits and five RBI's while also scoring a pair of runs and stealing two bases. Luke Meeteer finished game two at 3-for-6, tying his Milwaukee-best with four runs scored. Nick Unes tied a collegiate-bests with three hits and scored a career-high four runs in a perfect 3-for-3 day that included three RBI and the only home run in a 22-run outburst.

Not to be lost in the score was the job starter Adam Reuss did, despite spending lots of time in the dugout in between his visits to the mound while the team was batting. He was close to perfect, pitching six scoreless innings. He allowed a 2-out single in the first inning and then retired the next 16 batters in a row to end his day. He walked no one and K'd four. He was honored as Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for his efforts March 28. And, even more impressively, that was only one of two brilliant outings by UWM starters that day. Jay Peters came one out away from a complete-game shutout in a 1-0 victory in the opener, striking out six. He was named the College Sports Madness Horizon League Pitcher of the Week.

LEAGUE PREMIERES
Milwaukee is now 13-10 all-time in affiliated conference openers since becoming an NCAA Division I team. Head coach Scott Doffek has posted a 6-4 ledger in his 10 openers, including a 10-3 victory over Youngstown State in 2016 and a 6-5 win over the Penguins in 2015.

COLE HAD A GOAL
Cole Heili did everything in his power to help the Panthers to a sweep of Illinois State March 18-20. He played a key role in each game, putting together a week in which he batted .333, finishing 5-for-15 with four runs scored, three home runs and six RBI. On Friday, he blasted a pair of HR's to get Milwaukee out to an early lead in an 8-5 win. Saturday, he capped a three-run ninth-inning rally, bunting in the go-ahead run in the last inning of a 4-3 result. Sunday, he saved his best for the 17th inning. First off, his home run produced the first run of the game, handing UWM a 1-0 lead. Illinois State then tied the game in the bottom of the 17th, but Heili saved the day when he threw out what would have been the go-ahead run at the plate to end the 17th. The Panthers then plated three in the 18th to claim the marathon win.

LET'S PLAY TWO!!
Not only did the Panthers break the record for longest game played in terms of innings against Illinois State March 20, but they topped it by a whopping four frames. The 18-inning affair now easily takes the cake for the top spot on the all-time list.
1. 18 innings vs. Illinois State: March 20, 2016
2. 14 innings vs. Youngstown State: May 22, 2010
3. 14 innings vs. Cleveland State: May 21, 2008
4. 13 innings, two occasions

It was also the longest game time-wise found in the archives. At 4:54, it topped the previous long of 4:19 back on May 15, 2011 against Butler. There was a 4:31 contest played against Northern Illinois on May 15, 2012, but that total time included a 94-minute rain delay.

THAT'S A RECORD TOO
A pair of players saw a lot of face time at the plate that same day, as two Panthers ended up tying the school record for most at bats in a game when both Luke Meeteer and Daulton Varsho batted eight times against the Redbirds. That equals the school mark of eight set by Darin Haugom in a game played against Chicago State back on April 19, 2001.

The team total of 64 at bats for the game also set a new standard, breaking the former mark of 55 in a matchup against YSU 5/22/10.

THAT'S LIKE TWO TOUCHDOWNS, RIGHT?
The Panthers posted a season-high in runs (at the time) and missed their biggest hit total of the campaign by just one (also 14) in the 14-1 victory over K-State March 11. That result raised some eyebrows in Manhattan, Kan. The decision marked the Wildcats worst loss since 2009 overall and their biggest non-conference loss at home since 1980, a span of over 36 years.

YES, "THE" MILWAUKEE BREWERS
One look at the 2016 schedule and the opponent on March 2 jumps out immediately. The Panthers once again took on the Milwaukee Brewers in a contest that opened Spring Training competition for the 2016 Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park. The matchup - an 11-2 victory for the MLB squad despite an early 2-1 lead for the collegiate side - marked the second straight year that the Panthers have made the trek to Phoenix to take on their Wisconsin MLB counterparts. UWM ended the day nearly even in the hit column, edged by a final total of 8-to-10.

Last season's game marked the first time the Brewers had faced a collegiate team in an exhibition game since 1983 when they played Arizona State University. It was also the first time the Brewers had ever played the Panthers in an exhibition. The game was scoreless after three innings when both teams had their starting lineups on the field. UWM's Derek Peake recorded the first hit of the contest in the fourth, with the Brewers eventually earning the 8-0 decision.

THOSE PESKY PANTHERS
The Panthers managed to knock off Texas Tech in the opener of a doubleheader Feb. 20, claiming a 10-3 victory to mark the second season in a row where the team beat a nationally-ranked opponent. The victory was the program's sixth against a ranked foe all-time, last topping No. 15 Iowa a year ago.

GOING YARD
Daulton Varsho hit a pair of home runs against Bethune-Cookman Feb. 26, the first Panther with two in a game since Sam Koenig went deep twice 4/28/15. But the last time a Milwaukee sophomore hit two in a game? That was much further back, as the last time a sophomore accomplished the feat was Doug Dekoning back in April of 2009, when he hit a pair against Chicago State.

BASEBALL SEASON ALREADY?
The February 19th opener to the 2016 campaign may sound early, but it does not even rank in the top six anymore following the past few seasons. In fact, five of the top six all-time earliest starts to the season have taken place in the past 10 years.

1. 2006: February 10
2. 2015: February 13
2. 1999: February 13
4. 2014: February 14
5. 2013: February 15
6. 2007: February 16

PRESEASON NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Various publications and websites came out with their annual college baseball previews and players from the Milwaukee roster have earned a handful of mentions. D1Baseball.com lists seniors Luke Meeteer (No. 2) and Brian Keller (No. 10) as part of its "Top Prospects, 2016 MLB Drafts" chart. Sophomore Daulton Varsho (No. 4) and junior Jay Peters (No. 5) are listed in the 2017 draft chart, while Jake Sommers is one of 10 "Impact Freshmen".

Four players did earn a spot on the 2016 "College Sports Madness" Preseason All-Horizon League squad. Leading the way was Meeteer as a first-team outfielder. Rounding out the list was a trio of players named to the second team in seniors Keller (P) and Nick Unes (IF) as well as junior newcomer Ian Ross (OF).

LET'S HIT THE ROAD...
As usual, the Panthers will be busy waiting for the snow to melt away and Henry Aaron Field to be ready for them to play in Milwaukee. While that happens, they will be playing 31 (27 regular-season contests plus the exhibition against the Milwaukee Brewers plus four neutral-site game at Kapco Park) straight road games to open the 2016 slate. The prior record for longest season-opening road trip was set at 30 games in 2008. However, the past few Wisconsin springs have not been kind. Postponements and cancellations have been the norm most of the past three years, with the Panthers having to play their "home" opener in Chicago in 2014. Also, in 2013, the team ended up playing 29 in a row on the road (losing 12 contests to the weather overall) before finally playing a home game April 24.

The Panthers traveled over 11,400 miles over the course of the first seven weeks of this season via plane or bus, visiting seven different states (Texas, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois and Ohio) before playing their home opener April 20 against Edgewood. To put that in perspective, that would be equivalent to circling the bases 167,200 times.

PRESEASON POLL
Milwaukee was picked to finish fourth in the 2016 Horizon League preseason baseball poll. Wright State was the favorite to win the title in balloting by the conference's seven head coaches. The Raiders received all six possible first-place votes and topped the poll with 36 points after claiming the conference's bid to the NCAA Tournament and a 43-17 record a season ago.

UIC, the 2015 regular-season champion, was second with 27 points in what was a three-way mix behind WSU. Valparaiso (25 points) and the Panthers (24) were the other teams ranked 2-3-4. Youngstown State was fifth with 15 points, Northern Kentucky sixth with 13 and Oakland rounded out the poll in seventh place with seven points.

Wright State's Sean Murphy was voted as the Preseason Player of the Year and UIC's Jake Dahlberg was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in voting of the coaches. For the fourth straight year the league has also announced a preseason all-conference team and the Panthers had senior outfielder Luke Meeteer honored.

2016 Horizon League Preseason Baseball Poll
1. Wright State (6 first-place votes) – 36
2. UIC (1) – 27
3. Valparaiso – 25
4. Milwaukee – 24
5. Youngstown State – 15
6. Northern Kentucky – 13
7. Oakland – 7

FIRST FIRST FIRST FIRST FIRST FIRST
The Panthers had a remarkable season in 2015 and one look at the Horizon League leaders would cement that as fact. In addition to tying the school record with 39 victories, the team led the conference (or was second) in average (.298), slugging (.443), runs (396, 2nd), hits (627), RBI (366, 2nd), doubles (136), triples (25), home runs (40), RBI (366, 2nd), total bases (933), hit-by-pitch (79) and stolen bases (102). The pitching staff led the way (or was second) in opponent batting average (.259), innings pitched (529.0, 2nd), strikeouts (426) and was close in ERA, coming in second at 3.93. Some of those numbers ranked high nationally as well - UWM finished 27th in average, seventh in triples, sixth in doubles and 13th in stolen bases.

SENIOR-ITIS IN 2015
The Panthers will be one of the youngest teams around in 2016, with 21 of the 35 players on the active roster set to make their debuts in a Milwaukee uniform this season. One of the main reasons for that? A top-heavy senior class of 14 members a season ago. This year, the roster will feature 11 freshmen, eight junior-college transfers, one sophomore and one graduate student all in their first season at UWM.

STOP THAT THIEF
Luke Meeteer had a season of thievery in 2015 never before seen in Milwaukee baseball history. The speedy senior had 37 stolen bases, enough to lead the conference by a wide margin (second was 19). He broke the school record of 24 against Northwestern April 21 - which was tied by Ryan Solberg in 2014 and set by Darin Haugom in 2000 and 1999. He finished last year eighth in the NCAA in total steals (leader had 41) and 10th in steals-per-game.

TOUCH 'EM ALL
The Panthers finished with a Horizon League-high 40 home runs as a team in 2015, the most since 39 of them back in the 2010 season. Sam Koenig led the way with 15 dingers, making him the first Panther with 10-or-more since Tim Patzman hit 11 in 2010.

GETTING TO 20
The 23 runs scored by the Panthers against Edgewood April 28 last season marked the first outing of 20-or-more runs in a game since Milwaukee topped Bradley by a score of 20-2 back on April 21 of the 2010 campaign. The total tied for eighth-best all-time, as the school record is 28. The five home runs the team hit that day were a season-high and the most since banging out five dingers against SIU Edwardsville on March 6, 2010.

COMEBACK KIDS
Early last season, the Panthers overcame a five-run deficit March 14 in claiming a 6-5 victory over Youngstown State, one of the biggest comeback victories of head coach Scott Doffek's tenure. For good measure, they came back again the next day, turning a 6-2 YSU lead in the eighth inning into another victory. That was nothing compared to what happened at Henry Aaron Field against Chicago State April 15. Trailing 10-1 after the top of the fourth inning, the Panthers scored 13 unanswered runs en route to the amazing 15-11 win.

TOP COMEBACKS SINCE 2007
1. Trailed Chicago State, 10-1, fourth inning. Won 15-11 (4/15/15)
2. Trailed Cleveland State, 6-0, third inning. Won 7-6 (4/11/08)
3. Trailed Youngstown State, 5-0, second inning. Won 6-5 (3/14/15)
4. Trailed Butler, 5-0, second inning. Won 13-5 (5/13/12)

ONE OF A KIND
The Milwaukee baseball team had played 1,277 games in its NCAA Division I history prior to its matchup with UW-Superior April 7 last season that resulted in the first no-hitter in team history. Then-freshman Alex McIntosh, who did not even know he would be the starter until 20 minutes before first pitch, did the heavy lifting with 7.0 innings of work, striking out 11 while walking just one. Senior Mike Schneider, coming off Tommy John surgery, made his first appearance since the 2013 season to close out the final six outs and preserve history for the day. McIntosh earned Horizon League Pitcher of the Week honors for his efforts, certainly making his first collegiate start a memorable one.

FRESHMEN K K K K K K K KLUB
McIntosh joined a small list with the 11 strikeouts, becoming just the fifth freshman at UWM to post double-figures in K's in a game. Justin Langley is on the list with 12 from 2014. Also on the list is Robert Michalkiewicz (10 in 2004), Rob Erickson (10 in 2000) and Chad Sadowski (10 in 1997).
USA Today

GOOD OUT OF THE GATES
The Panthers 10-4 start in 2015 was its best through 14 games in program history. That topped the previous best run of 9-5 by both the 2001 and 1995 squads.

MAKING SOME NOISE
The Panthers hot start did get them noticed nationally, with the team receiving votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll in back-to-back weeks (March 9 and 16). The week of March 16, they were also receiving votes in the Baseball Coaches Poll.

ABOUT THAT 2015 START
The opening of the 2015 season was record-breaking from a couple of viewpoints. First off, it marked the first 3-0 start in program history since becoming an NCAA Division I program in the 1990 season. The only other time UWM even began 2-0 was in 1995 when the Panthers topped Youngstown State (16-6) and Bowling Green (6-5). Secondly, the team opened with at least 10 runs in a season opener for just the second time (also 1995, see above). They topped that by making it three in a row when they plated 12 and 11 runs the next day in a twinbill against the Black Bears. That had never even accomplished twice before.

SOCIAL MEDIA
You can also follow the baseball team on Twitter @MKE_Baseball. In addition, SID Chris Zills will be updating game scores and highlights when in attendance all season long on his Twitter account at @sidzills.

ON TAP
The Panthers close the regular season with four games, including one final midweek matchup at home. The week starts with a Tuesday matinee against Northern Illinois and closes with a three-game set at Oakland Thursday through Saturday. Game time against the Huskies Tuesday is 3 p.m. for the first pitch.