ARLINGTON, Texas - The Milwaukee baseball team overcame a two-run deficit early in the game and nearly did it again late, falling 5-4 to UT Arlington Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The Panthers (7-7) trailed the Mavericks (6-8) by a score of 3-1 early before knotting the score at 3-3. They trailed again at 5-3 and had the tying run on base in the ninth inning but could get no closer.
"It was good to see
Adam Reuss get on track today," Milwaukee head coach
Scott Doffek said. "That was very encouraging. We put ourselves in a position to win today but unfortunately a couple of free passes hurt. I loved the competitive spirit and fight, we have to come out tomorrow with the same mindset and just play a little cleaner."
Billy Quirke paced the offense with a 3-for-4, day, scoring a run.
Chris Kelly stayed hot, adding another multi-hit effort at 2-for-5.
Jeremy Wright ended the afternoon 2-for-3 and
Cole Heili hit a home run in the fifth inning.
Milwaukee jumped out early for the second day in a row. Kelly singled to lead off the day, went to second on a sac bunt and scored on a base hit to right field by
Devin Rybacki.
Daulton Varsho followed with a single and stole second to give UWM runners on second and third with just one out, but the team could not add to the good start.
It was that kind of day, as UWM had its chances – in addition to stranding seven overall, the Mavericks turned double plays to get out of jams to end innings on two different occasions.
Down 3-1, Heili led off the fifth with a homer to center. Quirke doubled, a sac bunt turned into a base hit and an infield chop over the pitcher loaded the bases with no outs. Milwaukee could only muster the tie out of the situation at 3-3 on a groundout by Rybacki, his second RBI of the day.
Down 5-3, a single and pair of walks loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Another fielder's choice groundout plated one run but two more runners were left stranded.
Adam Reuss got the start, working the first five innings. He walked two and struck out four, allowing three runs.
The series concludes Sunday, first pitch set for 1 p.m.
