DAYTON, Ohio – The Milwaukee Panthers finished the regular season scoring 29 runs in the final three games of the season and in game one of the Horizon League Tournament against Northern Kentucky, the Panthers had no signs of slowing down defeating the Norse 13-1 Wednesday afternoon from Nischwitz Stadium.
 
After one time through the lineup, the Milwaukee Panthers made some adjustments off of Norse lefty Sam Williams who was forced to exit the ball game pitching just 3.1 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and two hit by pitches.
 
"I thought after the second inning we swung the bats really well," said head coach Scott Doffek. "We didn't scorch the ball necessarily, but we made them work for every out and ultimately played all three phases of the game well."
 
The Panthers broke the game open in the fourth inning scoring five runs on four hits. Catcher Tyler Bordner brought the first run across the plate with an RBI double to left field scoring Ben Chally who led off with a walk. From there the Panthers recorded back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch, before Colin Kreiter hit a rocket over the center fielder's head, clearing the bases.
 
The fifth inning mirrored the start of the fourth inning for the Panthers offense when Chally walked and Bordner hit a double – this time to right center field. In Bordner's three at-bats, he recorded three doubles – tying a Milwaukee and Horizon League Baseball best. The Panthers added four more runs taking advantage of two NKU walks and three fielding miscues to take a dominate 11-0 lead.
 
Starter Austin Schulfer exited after the long offensive session by the Panthers in the fifth, allowing just four hits and holding the Norse scoreless. With a strikeout in the second inning, Schulfer set a new Milwaukee career strikeout record (240) that was set by Brian Keller with 239 strikeouts. With just 65 pitches in five frames, the Panthers hope to bring Schulfer back later in the tournament.
 
From the sixth inning on, Alex Fischer came in relief and kept the Norse in-check allowing just one run, on four hits and five strikeouts picking up the save.
 
"I thought Fischer did a great job out of the bullpen," said Doffek. "Getting (Austin) Schulfer out of the game early and giving him a chance to come back later in the tournament was important."
 
Seven different hitters recorded hits for the Panthers and the team tallied a total of 14 hits in the game with Mitch Buban and Tyler Bordner leading the way. Buban led all hitters with a 4-for-5, two RBI performance – tying a career high four hits. Trevor Schwecke chipped in with three hits and two RBI of his own.
 
With the win, Milwaukee advances and will take on No. 2 seed UIC (28-16, 15-9) at 2 p.m. (CT) Thurs., May 24. Winner will play the winner of No. 1 Wright State and No. 5 Youngstown State on May 25 while the loser will play at 7 p.m. in the same day.
 
For more information on the 2018 Horizon League Baseball Tournament, CLICK HERE.