YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Third baseman Mike Ferri recorded three RBI and helped the Milwaukee baseball team to a 5-4 over Youngstown State early Friday morning from Eastwood Field.
 
The Panthers (32-18-1, 18-10) utilized three pitchers who allowed just four runs off seven hits to the Penguins (12-40, 6-20) in Friday's victory. In addition to strong pitching performances, Milwaukee came up clutch offensively when their backs were against the wall.
 
Milwaukee scored two in the top of the third to jump out to an early lead. Thanks to two free bases issued to Mitchell Buban and Matt Quartel, senior Devin Rybacki loaded the bases after a single to center field moving Buban and Quartel up 90 feet. In the next at-bat, Mike Ferri would drive in Quartel, but not before Buban scored on a wild pitch.
 
An inning and a half later, the Penguins would take the lead after scoring three runs on four hits. YSU evened up the game at two after a bases clearing double from Jeff Wehler. Panthers' pitcher Mike Edwards got an important double play doubling up Trevor Wiersma and Drew Dickerson, but Wehler was able to score and take a one run advantage.
 
Milwaukee instantly answered back the following inning to regain a 4-3 lead when Mike Ferri homered to left field, scoring Matt Quartel who doubled to lead off the inning. Joe Vyskocil also hit a double later in the inning, but was left stranded after a strikeout to end the inning.
 
The exchanging of runs continued the next couple of innings when YSU evened the score at four in the sixth, but it was in the seventh when MKE took the lead and held on for the next three innings.
 
Catcher Tyler Bordner has been an RBI machine as of late, and the senior has had no intentions of slowing down. Bordner singled up the middle to put the Black & Gold ahead 5-4 and score Rybacki in what would eventually end up being the game-winning hit.
 
Once MKE regained the lead, closer Jake Sommers shutdown the Penguins in the final 1.2 innings, picking up his league-leading 10th save.
 
Matt Vanek (7-1) picked up the win and held YSU to two hits and one run while striking out two in 3.1 innings.
 
Milwaukee collected 13 hits with six hitters with multi-hit performances. Rybacki, Ferri, Vyskocil, Bordner, Colin Kreiter and Quartel all had two hits each.
 
The Panthers have won the series but will go for the sweep over the Penguins with the third and final game of the series and regular season Saturday. Game time is slated for 11 a.m. (CT) at Eastwood Field.