YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Milwaukee baseball team came within two runs of Youngstown State at one point in the game, but were unable to play catchup to the Pengins falling 9-3 from Eastwood Field on Saturday.
 
Panthers' (32-19-1, 18-11) Jack Thelen and Zach Nogalski hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning, but it wasn't enough to keep up with Youngstown State (13-40, 7-21) who scored nine runs on nine hits. Despite the loss, Milwaukee won the series taking two-of-three from the Penguins.
 
"Anytime you can go on the road and win a series, it's positive," said head coach Scott Doffek. "We didn't play great today, and that's disappointing, but this team is resilient, and I am very excited to watch our guys come out and compete next week in Dayton."
 
A potential difference maker came in the sixth inning for the Panthers after finally getting on the scoreboard in the fifth. Trialing 5-2 in the sixth, Milwaukee loaded the bases thanks to two walks and one hit batsman but came away with just one run. YSU got a momentum-changing double play when MKE struck out and tagged Tyler Bordner out at home who tried scoring from third with the ball getting away from the YSU catcher. Mitchell Buban was hit by the pitch the next at-bat, scoring Colin Kreiter, but all scoring stalled when the Penguins got a ground out to end the inning and preserve a 5-3 lead.
 
Youngstown State added four insurance runs on four hits and a Panther error in the seventh inning, increasing the Penguin lead, 9-3.
 
In the final two frames, the Penguins held Milwaukee hitless and scoreless to defeat the Panthers in the season finale.
 
With Milwaukee falling and UIC defeating Northern Kentucky, the Panthers move to third place in the Horizon League standings and will be the No. 3 seed heading into the tournament.
 
This season's 2019 Horizon League Baseball Championship will be held at Wright state who won the league with a 41-15, 22-8 record. No. 3 Milwaukee will face No. 6 Youngstown State in an elimination game. The game between the two will be on Wednesday, May 22 at 3 p.m. (CT) from Nischwitz Stadium.