DAYTON, Ohio – Mike Ferri ripped a leadoff double in the ninth inning, but the Wright State defense and closer Tristan Haught got out of a jam as the Milwaukee baseball team dropped a 4-3 decision in game one of the Horizon League Tournament.
 
Ferri just missed a game-tying home run by less than a foot as he tagged a double off the wall in left field to open the ninth. Luke Seidel moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt before Nick Winter was robbed of a hit behind an impressive play at third from WSU's Justin McConnell.
 
Haught then got Mitchell Buban to strikeout to end the Panthers' threat.
 
"It worked out exactly like we wanted. Got the leadoff double and executed a bunt perfectly," head coach Scott Doffek commented. "We had the guy up we wanted, who is a contact guy in Nick. He blistered a ball to the third baseman but what are you going to do."
 
After starter Riley Frey stranded a pair in the first two innings, Wright State broke through in the third with four straight hits to go up 3-0.
 
The Raiders tacked on another in the fourth, but Frey limited the damage and stranded two more before Milwaukee battled back.
 
With two out and runners on first and second, Buban was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jack Kraus followed with a two-run single to left field and after a Zach Nogalski base hit, Nate DeYoung reached on an error to allow another run to cross and cut the Panthers' deficit to one.
 
Wright State opened the sixth with a double and after a lineout, James Severson took over. Severson loaded the bases but settled down and got a popout and a strikeout to end the inning.
 
The freshman stranded two more in the seventh and another in the eight to set up the ninth-inning drama.
 
"Riley had one inning where they stacked some good at bats, but you look up and it is 4-3 against the number one ranked offense in the country. I thought he did a really good job," Doffek said.
 
Frey scattered five hits and struck out five allowing just two earned runs in 4.2 innings.
 
"I thought James came in a tough spot for a freshman and pitched really well," Doffek commented.
 
Severson finished allowing just one hit in 2.2 innings walking three and striking out a pair. The freshmen duo stranded 13 runners.
 
Kraus finished the game 2-for-4 with the two RBI to lead the MKE offense.
 
The Panthers will now take on the loser of game three which features No. 2 UIC and No. 3 Youngstown State. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm CT. Live coverage links can be found on MKEPanthers.com.