MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee baseball team scored 23 runs and pounded out 28 hits to back the strong starting pitching efforts of Austin Schulfer and Alex Fischer in a doubleheader sweep of Northern Kentucky Sunday at Henry Aaron Field.
 
The Panthers (19-27, 9-14 Horizon League) recorded the pair of victories over the Norse (17-30, 10-13 Horizon League) by final scores of 15-0 in game one and 8-1 in game two.
 
"At this point, we just need to win," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "Going down to UIC and getting one yesterday, and then coming here and pitching like we did – against one of the best offenses in the league – was great. In both games we scored early and we backed it up by keeping the momentum by putting up zeroes on the mound."
 
Both Schulfer and Fischer recorded seven shutout innings apiece to lead the way.
 
"He (Schulfer) was literally sick as a dog before the game, we didn't know if he was going to be able to go," Doffek said. "We are just way short with injuries and four games this weekend and he stepped up and did exactly what the team needed with a great start."
 
In the opener, Schulfer (6-4) shrugged off being under the weather with an impressive outing, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He ended the way with 98 pitches in his 7.0 shutout frames, allowing just the single base hit. He walked two and struck out five.
 
The Panthers jumped in front with three runs in the first inning. Trevor Schwecke singled, Daulton Varsho doubled and Ben Chally's triple cleared the bases and made it 2-0. Chally then came home on a double by John Boidanis to make it 3-0.
 
"I thought up and down the lineup, we were balanced," Doffek said. "We also got some big two-out hits in both games. We had the momentum on our side and we kept it all day, and that is always a challenge."
 
Two innings later it was a doubles' barrage. Chally, Boidanis, Mike Jordahl and Devin Rybacki smacked four two-baggers in a row and the lead reached 7-0.
 
Schulfer kept cruising and the floodgates opened in the UWM eighth. The team sent 13 batters to the plate in the rally, using eight hits to plate seven more runs. Varsho drove in three runs in the inning and Boidanis crushed a three-run home run.
 
Varsho finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. Boidanis had three hits and knocked in five and Jordahl had two hits, scored twice and knocked in a pair. Chris Kelly (2 RBI), Chally (2 RBI) and Dylan Detert all added two hits each in the opener.
 
In game two, Milwaukee again got on the board early and let Fischer settle in. An error and a Jordahl single made it 2-0 in the first and it was Jordahl again in the third, with his ground-rule double chasing in two more and making it 4-0.
 
Fischer (1-3) was terrific in his first career Horizon League start. He struck out four of the first five batters he faced to jump start a 7.0-inning appearance in which he allowed no runs and just two hits. He walked two and struck out a career-high seven.
 
"Fischer was just great," Doffek said. "First start within our league and just pounded the zone early. We got some early runs and he kept putting up zeroes. He mixed his pitches well and was just outstanding."
 
UWM tacked on three more runs in the fifth to put it away. Varsho finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Jordahl had a great afternoon, going 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI in the second game.
 
The eight-game homestand continues Wednesday, with the Panthers welcoming Chicago State to Henry Aaron Field. The game will get underway at 3 p.m. and will be televised live on Spectrum Sports with Bob Brainerd and Matt Menzl on the call.