FAIRBORN, Ohio – In Milwaukee's second game of the 2019 Horizon League Baseball Championship, the third-seeded Panthers fell to second-seeded UIC by a score of 18-10 Thursday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium.
 
The Panthers (33-20-1) plated 10 runs and belted out 15 hits in the offensive display, but came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard against the hot-hitting Flames (27-21), who matched the Panthers 15 hits, while tallying 18 runs.
 
Out of the gate, Milwaukee hit hard and fast, scoring four runs on four hits against 2019 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Jacob Key. After back-to-back singles from Devin Rybacki and Mike Ferri to start the inning, Trevor Schwecke knocked in the first Panther run with an RBI-double to left center. Following an RBI-ground out from Joe Vyskocil, Milwaukee tallied two more runs thanks to a Flames throwing error off a batted ball from Jack Thelen, scoring Tyler Bordner and Schwecke for a four-run advantage.
 
In the second, UIC scored five runs on just one hit – all coming after two outs. Milwaukee walked five batters to help the Flames cut the lead in half, then Ryan Lin-Peistrup cleared the bases with a double to take a 5-4 lead.
 
Trailing 9-4 after four complete, MKE stayed resilient and chipped away at the Flames lead, scoring four runs on five hits to come within a run in the fourth inning. Mitchell Buban hit in the first MKE run, beating out a ground ball to the third baseman and scoring Thelen. Senior Matt Quartel followed with a hard-hit ball off the left field fence getting the Panthers within three. By the end of the inning, Milwaukee rallied for two more runs to get within one at 10-9.
 
Between the fourth and fifth innings, the Flames pushed the lead back to five, combining for four runs on four hits, including a Ryan Hampe solo home run. 
 
After three-straight doubles from Schwecke, Vyskocil and Bordner, the Black & Gold answered right back for two runs to get within three once again at 13-10. Despite the team's best efforts, three would be the closest the Panthers would get after the sixth.
 
In the final three frames of the game, Milwaukee was held scoreless while UIC continued to push runs across the plate with MKE ultimately falling by a score of 18-10.
 
Ferri and Bordner led the charge for the Panthers recording three hits each.
 
Milwaukee will now play in an elimination game against No. 4 seed Northern Kentucky. Game time is set for 6:50 p.m. (CT).