MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee baseball team erupted for nine runs in the fourth inning to quickly erase an early deficit on its way to a 14-5 victory over Youngstown State Thursday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field.
 
The Panthers (11-19, 1-9 Horizon League) trailed the Penguins (8-22, 4-9 Horizon League) by a score of 3-0 before even batting in the first and still trailed, 4-2, before taking over the game with the big rally.
 
Milwaukee scored the nine runs on eight hits en route to running its two-game totals this week to 29 runs scored and 35 hits following its 15-1 win over Chicago State Tuesday.
 
The offense had numerous highlights, led by four-hit efforts from Chris Kelly and Ben Chally, who each finished a home run short of the cycle. The four hits from Kelly included two RBI and two runs scored, equaling his 4-hit game from earlier this season.
 
The four hits from Chally was a season-best and he also knocked in a run and scored twice. The victory came in the home opener following 30-straight on the road to begin the season, as UWM improved to 22-5 all-time in home openers, as well as to 8-3 under head coach Scott Doffek.
 
"That was exactly what this offense needed and we have been getting it the past couple of games, so that is exciting," Doffek said. "It was good to see a lot of guys in the lineup stack quality at bats. Made them work, drew some tough walks and banged out 19 hits – that's a recipe for victory."
 
Austin Schulfer (4-4) picked up the victory but the greeting by the Penguins was not a welcome one. YSU followed a hit batter to leadoff the game with three straight doubles, and led 3-0 on a sac fly as the first out was recorded.
 
The visitors made it 4-0 in the second before Schulfer settled into a nice groove. He eventually threw 128 pitches in 8.0 innings of work, walking three and striking out seven.
 
"You have to give Youngtown credit," Doffek said. "They came out swinging the bats and put us in a tough situation early. I think it took Austin (Schulfer) a minute just to catch himself. I thought from the second inning on, he did a great job."
 
John Boidanis homered to lead off the second and get UWM on the scoreboard. Cole Heili singled and then raced home on a triple by Chally.
 
It was still 4-2 in the fourth when the offense could not be contained. Fourteen batters went to the plate, first tying the game on a bases-loaded walk by Billy Quirke. Kelly followed with an RBI on an infield single to shortstop and a two-out single by Daulton Varsho made it 7-4. Boidanis drove in two more with another single up the middle before Matt Quartel topped it off with a towering two-run shot down the right field line – his first of the season.
 
Varsho finished 2-for-5, Boidanis had two hits, scored twice and knocked in three, while Ian Ross went 2-for-3.
 
Shane Willoughby had two hits and drove in three to lead YSU. Andrew Kendrick drilled his 14^th home run of the season in the seventh inning.
 
These two teams resume the series tomorrow at 1 p.m., set for a live TV broadcast on Spectrum Sports in the Milwaukee viewing area with Matt Menzl and Don August on the call.