FRANKLIN, Wis. – Grand slam home runs from both Mike Ferri and Zach Nogalski highlighted a 21-3 victory over Oakland by the Milwaukee baseball team in game two of a doubleheader Saturday at a very windy and warm Franklin Field.
 
The Panthers (16-22, 13-14 Horizon League) scored six times in the first inning – four of those coming on Ferri's blast to left – to jumpstart the victory and earn a split with the Golden Grizzlies (11-23. 5-18 Horizon League) on the day and snap out of a recent slump in a big way.
 
"Those two games (Friday and game one today), were a continuation of last weekend (against UIC), when it was pretty demoralizing the way those games started," head coach Scott Doffek said. "To come out and put up big numbers early on, let some air out of the balloon and just freed everyone up a bit."
 
It came fast and furious in the first, with the 2-3-4 hitters reaching on a pair of singles and a hit by pitch to load them for Ferri, who hammered a 2-0 pitch to deep left center to make it 4-0. Nick Winter then walked and Jack Cavanaugh followed with his first of the season to right center to make it 6-0.
 
Nogalski went yard for his slam in the fourth inning, making the game 12-1 at the time. The home run was part of a 5-RBI/4-run day, setting career-highs in both categories.
 
Ferri also tied his career-best with the four RBI, scoring twice. The offensive explosion carried over from 1-thru-9, with six players recording multi-hit outings. Joe Vyskocil (3-for-5/2 RBI/2 R), Mitchell Buban (2-for-5, RBI, 2 R), Luke Seidel (2-for-5/3 R), Cherokee LeBeau (2-for-3/2 R/RBI), Thomas Otto (3-for-5/2 RBI) and Cavanaugh (2-for-5/3 RBI/2 R) all contributed to the hit parade.
 
"Really, in game two, just up-and-down the lineup was really good," head coach Scott Doffek said. "Let's start with Vyskocil. He swung the bat great in the first game [he went 3-for-3] and it carried over to the second game. Ferri was good again today too."
 
Mike Edwards (2-5) picked up the win, allowing just one earned run in 6.0 innings of work. He walked three and struck out six. Nick Gilhaus picked up the rare save in a blowout, working the final 3.0 innings in allowing just one run, walking zero while adding four K's.
 
In the opener, the Panthers dropped a 5-2 decision but starting pitcher Jack Mahoney set a career-high with 11 strikeouts. He worked 6.0 innings, allowing three earned runs. MKE trailed just 2-1 in the third but could never draw closer.
 
"It doesn't get lost to me," Doffek said about the great pitching all day. "I thought in both games, the pitching was certainly good enough to win. Jack giving up three runs in these conditions is like a shutout. It really is. You are talking about 20-to-40 miles per hour blowing out; tough sun; fast infield. I thought he did a good job and we just couldn't get the bats going."
 
The offense tallied just two runs and six hits, led by that 3-for-3 outing from Vyskocil, who went 6-for-8 on the day and also drilled a home run in the opener.
 
The Panthers and Golden Grizzlies wrap up the weekend series Sunday, set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.