KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Jared Reklaitis struck out nine batters in 7.0 innings and
Tyler Bordner and
Joe Vyskocil each drove in a pair of runs to lead the Milwaukee baseball team to a 5-3 victory over Marshall Friday evening in Florida.
The Panthers (1-0) also got a great effort out of the bullpen and just enough offense against the Thundering Herd (0-1) to earn the season-opening victory at the D9 Sunshine State Classic.
"It's always great to get that first one out of the way," head coach
Scott Doffek said. "I thought Rek (Reklaitis) was outstanding tonight. He really made some huge pitches in some tricky spots and our bullpen was lights-out as well."
Vyskocil snuck a home run inside the left field foul pole to tie the game in the third inning and Bordner put Milwaukee ahead 4-1 in the same frame with a clutch two-out single that plated a pair.
"Just enough with the bats tonight," Doffek said. "Pitching and defense win games and we were very good in both those phases tonight."
Reklaitis (1-0) recovered quickly from allowing a home run on the first pitch of the day, striking out the side in the first after the rude welcome to the 2019 campaign from Geordon Blanton.
He retired nine in a row into the fourth, giving back a run after MKE had gone ahead. Vyskocil evened the game in the top of the frame, with the Panthers getting another with the help of an error before Bordner's big hit.
Vyskocil added a sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it 5-2. The Herd threatened in the seventh, putting runners on first and third with one out. Reklaitis punched out the next batter for the first out and struck out the final batter of the frame as well.
The bullpen was impressive.
Clayton Uselman did his job to open the seventh, followed by
Patrick Tomfohrde who fanned a pair.
Jake Sommers was untouchable in the ninth to close it out, striking out the side to seal the win and pick up the save.
Bordner (2-for-3) had two of MKE's five total hits on the day.
Mitchell Buban had a triple and
Mike Ferri added a single.
Up next, the Panthers will take on Villanova Saturday at 2 p.m. CST.
