CHICAGO, Ill. – Freshman Mike Edwards picked up his first collegiate win Tuesday afternoon as the Milwaukee baseball team defeated Chicago State 12-4 at Cougar Stadium.
 
After a long weekend in Northern Kentucky last weekend, the Panthers (11-17) jumped back on the road and collected a W at Chicago State (5-24) with Mike Edwards pitching six solid innings while allowing just two runs on three hits. Meanwhile the Panther offense picked up where they left off scoring in all but three innings to secure a 12-4 win over the Cougars.
 
"It was a good team win today," Milwaukee baseball head coach Scott Doffek said. "We started a little slow in the box, but the second half of the game we strung together some good at-bats."
 
Chicago State was the first to score right away in the bottom half of the first, but the two run lead would be short lived.
 
The Panthers began the third inning with back-to-back walks in which Mike Ferri would make the Cougars pay. After Devin Rybacki grounded out to the pitcher, advancing Joe Vyskocil and Jack Thelen, Ferri doubled to left center picking up his seventh and eighth RBI of the season and tie the game at two.
 
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Panthers' Edwards settled down keeping the Cougars hitless and scoreless in his next five innings from the mound.
 
"In Edwards first collegiate start, I thought he did a nice job," said Doffek. "He pounded the zone and let the defense play."
 
In the fourth inning, Milwaukee took the lead with a single run and never looked back.
 
With runners on second and third for the Panthers, redshirt sophomore Joe Vyskocil cranked his third homerun of the season giving MKE a 6-2 lead.
 
Chicago State would respond with two runs in the bottom of the eighth but not before the Panthers tallied single runs in the seventh and eighth. Those two runs ended up being the last two runs for the Cougars.
 
The Panthers added four runs on four hits and a Cougar error for good measure in the ninth to shutdown any hopes of a comeback.

Mike Ferri led all hitters going 3-for5 with three RBI and a double. Matt Quartel and Zach Nogalski also chipped in with two hits each.

Milwaukee will once again hit the road for another day trip to Valparaiso, Ind., Wed., April 11. The Panthers and Crusaders will meet for the 67^th time from Emory G. Bauer Field beginning at 3 p.m.