VALPARAISO, Ind. - The Milwaukee baseball team overcame a late 4-0 deficit and tied the game in the ninth inning on a two-out hit by Ben Chally, but could not complete the comeback in falling, 5-4, Thursday at Emory G. Bauer Field.
 
The Panthers (22-31, 10-18 Horizon League) got back into the game against the Crusaders (24-28, 13-15 Horizon League) in the seventh inning, trimming the margin to one when Daulton Varsho socked a deep two-run home run to right field to make it 4-3.
 
Down a run heading into the last at bat, Billy Quirke led off the top of the ninth with a double down the right field line. A sac bunt by Chris Kelly then put the tying run 90 feet away.
 
After a strikeout and an intentional walk to Varsho, Chally came through with the clutch double, plating Quirke. Varsho also attempted to score on the play, but a perfect relay from right field ended the inning.
 
In the home half of the ninth, Valpo saw its first batter earn a walk. Following a sac bunt, an intentional walk was used to set up a possible double play. A wild pitch derailed that effort, so another intentional walk followed. Christian Barzi then won it with yet another walk, with ball four on a 3-1 pitch ending the game.
 
Jay Peters got the start, making it through the first 5.0 innings on a pitch count. He walked two and struck out three. Adam Reuss worked 2.2 innings, while Blake Reed worked out of a jam in the eighth, retiring the only batter he faced.
 
The Milwaukee offense ended the day with 10 hits, led by two each from Kelly, Schwecke (RBI double) and Chally. Varsho's home run was the 198^th hit of his UWM career. Scott Kapers went 3-for-4 to pace the Valpo offense.
 
These two teams resume the series tomorrow, set for a first pitch of 1 p.m.