MILWAUKEE - Give Jay Peters the ball, tell the bullpen to take a seat in the dugout.
 
That has been the plan for the past three weeks for head coach Scott Doffek, as Peters threw his fourth complete game in a row to lead the Milwaukee baseball team to a 4-3 victory over Wright State in the opener of a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field.
 
The Panthers (21-28, 10-15 Horizon League) settled for a spilt with the Raiders (34-16, 19-6 Horizon League) when the visitors broke open a close game in the nightcap with five runs in the seventh inning.
 
Peters (8-1) recorded a victory in his sixth straight outing, limiting Wright State to just one earned run in the 116-pitch effort. He became the first player in Milwaukee program history to accomplish the feat of completing four consecutive starts.
 
"We were certainly hoping that was going to be the case against a good team and facing a good pitcher," Doffek said of another strong outing by Peters. "He did not have his best stuff today, believe it or not, but he did what he does. He competes really hard, kept us in the game and gave us a chance to string together some hits and hang on to that lead."
 
Peters walked a pair and struck out nine, giving up just six hits. He allowed the three runs, but two of them came on a two-out error in the third inning that should have ended the inning.
 
UWM jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI-single off the bat of Devin Rybacki. The lead disappeared just as quickly, when the Raiders plated a pair on that error to go ahead, 2-1.
 
"I give our guys credit," Doffek said. "They didn't quit. We came back and took the lead back ourselves and found a way."
 
The bottom of the third proved just as decisive. Following a walk to load the bases, John Boidanis came through with a huge two-run single to left field to flip the scoreboard, and Mike Jordahl's sac fly made it 4-2.
 
Peters took care of the rest, working out of trouble when needed. He finished strong, retiring the final eight batters he faced, striking out a pair.
 
Chris Kelly and Boidanis both went 2-for-4. Boidanis scored a run in addition to his two RBI. Billy Quirke and Mike Ferri also had hits in addition to Rybacki, as the Panthers knocked WSU starter Danny Sexson (7-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten with the decision.
 
In the second game, UWM got into a 3-0 hole by the fourth, but battled back. Ian Ross came through with a big two-out hit after Daulton Varsho tripled to lead off the inning. Boidanis then earned an RBI the hard way in the fifth, getting hit by a pitch to make it 3-2.
 
The Panthers looked to equalize in the sixth, but WSU threw out the would-be tying run at the plate on Kelly's hit to center to end the threat. And, just like that, the Raiders took advantage. They went on to score five runs on four hits in their next at bat.
 
"I thought it was a huge play," Doffek said. "Just a great play by their centerfielder to shut that play down. If we only give up a couple after that, I think we have a really good chance to win that ballgame. But, it's going to be hard that late in the game to give up a five-spot and win."
 
Kelly helped Milwaukee rally. His three-run home run in the eighth cut the deficit to 8-5 and UWM had the tying run at the plate later in the inning. Trevor Swaney came on to close it out, retiring the final four batters for the save.
 
Adam Reuss (2-6) suffered the loss, allowing three runs in 6.0 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
 
Kelly finished game two with two hits and three RBI. Trevor Schwecke was 3-for-5 and Ferri finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored.
 
Gabe Snyder paced the WSU offense with a perfect 5-for-5 day.
 
Up next is another league twinbill tomorrow, welcoming Valparaiso to Henry Aaron Field for a 12 noon start. It is also "Senior Day", with the Panthers honoring their 10-member class in between games.