PEORIA, Ill. - The Milwaukee baseball team held an early lead but an eighth-inning home run by Bradley University provided the difference in a 3-2 loss Friday night at Dozer Park.
 
The Panthers (8-18) held a 2-0 lead before the Braves (11-15) rallied to tie it in the bottom of the fifth inning. A home run by Derek Bangert in the bottom of the eighth provided the difference.
 
"That was a good college baseball game," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "We had opportunities early on to jump way out and we didn't take advantage."
 
Austin Schulfer pitched very well, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five batter sin his seven innings of work.
 
"It was good to see Schulfer throw the ball well," Doffek said. "I thought Fish (Fischer) came in and threw the ball really well. You have to give the kid who hit the home run a ton of credit. It was a good pitch and he went dead center. All you can do is tip your cap on that."
 
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk to Daulton Varsho. It was the second straight inning the Panthers loaded the bases, but they ended up with just one run to show for it.
 
UWM added to its lead in the fifth, scoring a run on Cole Heili's two-out double to make it 2-0 at the time.
 
Bradley tied it in its half of the fifth, accumulating four hits to make it a new game at 2-2 before the Milwaukee defense turned a double play to end the rally.
 
Back-and-forth with zeroes for the next couple of innings, Baggert's one-out home run in the eighth provided the difference.
 
Varsho finished a perfect 3-for-3 to lead the Milwaukee offense. Billy Quirke added a 2-for-4 night as the only other player with more than one hit.
 
The Panther pitching staff allowed just six hits on the night, with no Braves player recording more than one hit.
 
Game two of the series is set for Saturday, with a first pitch of 12 p.m.