ROCHESTER, Mich. – Mark Connelly made history on Friday afternoon as the senior hit for the first cycle in Milwaukee baseball history as the Milwaukee baseball team took down the Oakland Golden Grizzlies by the score of 13-4 at the Oakland Baseball Field.
 
Connelly went 4-for-5 on the day and had a triple in the first inning, followed by a home run in the fifth. During his at bat in the seventh inning he collected a double and then connected on a single to complete the cycle in the top of the eighth inning.
 
"Today was a good team win", said head coach Scott Doffek. "Another quality start for Riley [Frey] and Connelly was huge all day with the cycle."
 
With his four hits on the day, Connelly tied the season-high by a Panther as Tommy Benson had four against Southeast Missouri on March 5. His four hits led the team as the Panthers had 11 hits to tie the season high for hits in a conference matchup, with the previous 11 coming in the team's win over Youngstown State a week ago.
 
Luke Seidel and Nate DeYoung had multi-hit afternoons and led the team with three RBIs apiece, with each collecting a double in the effort. Seidel also recorded his first home run of the season and fifth of his career.
 
Riley Frey matched his season-high with seven innings pitched as he also matched his season-high with seven strikeouts as he earned his third win of the year. Keagon Kaufmann pitched a scoreless eighth, while Tyler Deleskiewicz closed out the game yielding one run in the ninth.
 
Rounding out the day on offense were Aaron Chapman, Marcus Cline, and Justin Hausser with one hit apiece on the day including doubles off the bats of Chapman and Hausser. The five doubles for Milwaukee in a single game was the most in exactly 365 days as the Panthers slugged six two-base hits against Northern Kentucky on April 1, 2022.
 
Jack Thelen walked twice and scored a run, while Benson also walked once and scored a run. Ty Olejnik had a run scored and drove in one run on a sacrifice fly.
 
Milwaukee got on the board early as it was Connelly to get things going with a two-out triple in the top of the first inning. Chapman doubled to put the Panthers on the board, followed by DeYoung walking on four pitches to put a pair on. Up next was Hausser, who chased the pair home to spot Frey a three-run lead.
 
Oakland answered right back with a two-spot in the bottom of the first as Frey struck out the first two before plunking a batter and yielding a two-run home run.
 
The Milwaukee offense refused to let go of the lead as Thelen walked but was erased on a fielder's choice by Cline. Seidel was up next and sent a shot over the centerfield fence to give the Panthers a 5-2 advantage.
 
Frey set down the side in order in the second, with five strikeouts through the first two innings. After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third the Panthers turned a double play before Frey ended the inning with his sixth strikeout of the game.
 
After Frey set down the Golden Grizzlies in order in the fourth, the Panther offense got back to work as Connelly led off the fifth inning with a solo home run. Oakland answered back with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth as Milwaukee led 6-3.
 
The game progressed to the seventh and Milwaukee scored two more as Olejnik reached on a fielding error while trying to bunt for a hit. Connelly added his double to bring Olejnik around before Connelly moved up to third on a wild pitch. DeYoung picked up an RBI with a single to right center as Connelly crossed the plate for the third time on the game.
 
Frey got through the bottom of the seventh with another double play as he was in line for his third win. Benson and Thelen walked to open up the eighth before a bunt moved the pair into scoring position. Seidel plated one runner with a double, before Olejnik added another run with a sacrifice fly.
 
Chapman walked to put two runners on once again before DeYoung added another two RBIs with a double into right field to put the Panthers up by a 13-3 score.
 
Oakland chased one run across the plate in the bottom of the ninth to close out the scoring on the game.
 
Milwaukee and Oakland will meet for game two of the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch slate for 1:00 p.m. (CT) in Rochester, Michigan.