NILES, Ohio – The Milwaukee Panthers dropped both ends of a Horizon League doubleheader on Saturday afternoon to the host Youngstown Penguins. The home team won a back-and-forth opener by an 8-6 score before winning the second game of the day by an 11-2 margin.
 
"It was a disappointing day today," said Panther skipper Scott Doffek. "We just didn't do much of anything well today. You have to give YSU a lot of credit they really swung it well today."

"We have to flush this day and come out tomorrow and really compete on both sides of the ball," Doffek added.
 
Tommy Benson led Milwaukee at the plate on the day with three doubles and an RBI while scoring two runs. Justin Hausser also had three hits on the day and scored three runs while stealing the team's lone base of the doubleheader.
 
Marcus Cline, Carson Hansen, Ty Olejnik and Luke Seidel all had multi-hit days, including a solo home run by Seidel to lead off the day.
 
Riley Frey got the start in the opener and allowed seven runs over 6 1/3 innings, before Sam Mathews closed out the seventh inning while yielding one run. Keagon Kaufmann and Johnny Kelliher closed out the opening game as the pair combined for a hitless eighth inning.
 
Luke Hansel started game two and was touched up for seven runs over 2 2/3 innings. Curtis Sheahan pitched well in relief and allowed just one run on two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Ryan Hoerter pitched a hitless seventh, before Owen Rice and Gavin Theis worked the final inning for the Panthers.
 
Game 1 Summary
After Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Penguins scored five runs over the next two innings to take a four-run lead. Milwaukee chipped away with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings before tying the game with a two-run sixth inning.
 
Milwaukee took the lead in the top of the seventh at 6-5, but Youngstown State responded with three runs to regain a two-run advantage and held on for the 8-6 victory.
 
Three pitches into the game the Panthers took the lead as Seidel connected on his second home run of the season to left field as Milwaukee jumped out to the early advantage.
 
Frey allowed two baserunners in the first three batters before the Penguins connected on a three-run home to take the lead. A two-run home run in the bottom of the second extended the lead for Youngstown State at 5-1 heading to the third.
 
In the fourth, Aaron Chapman opened the inning with an infield hit and two batters later Hausser put two runners on with an eight-pitch walk. After Chapman was caught stealing, Benson had a double to chase Hausser home with the second Milwaukee run. The Panthers added another run as Cline led off with a single and moved up to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout, before Mark Connelly drove him in with a single into left centerfield.
 
After two batters reached of the top three for the Penguins, Frey was able to get another double play as Hausser started and finished the twin killing.
 
In the sixth, Hausser singled to open the frame and Benson doubled to put a pair in scoring position. Nate DeYoung brought home Hausser with a groundout, before Cline struck out and reached on an error, while a second error on the play allowed Benson to score on the same play with the tying run.
 
Frey retired the side in order in the sixth to send the game to the seventh. Milwaukee regained the lead in the top of the seventh as Connelly was hit by a pitch and moved up to third on a two-base wild pitch. Hausser reached on an error on the next play, which allowed Connelly to score Milwaukee's sixth run to give the Panthers a 6-5 lead.
 
The Penguins scored three runs on three hits and chased Frey in the process as the Panthers trailed 8-6.
 
Milwaukee's offense was unable to get going aside from a two-out walk in the eighth, and a two-out single in the ninth as the home team came away with the win.
 
Game 2 Summary
Milwaukee was able to connect on eight hits in game two but fell behind early and was never able to recover in the second game of the day.
 
The Penguins connected on another two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, before adding another four runs on four hits and a Panther error to take a 6-0 lead. Youngstown State added solo runs in the third and fourth innings to take an eight-run lead.
 
Milwaukee attempted to begin the comeback in the top of the fifth with a leadoff hit off the bat of Hausser, while Jack Thelen walked to put two runners on but the pair was stranded on base.
 
Two innings later, Milwaukee broke the drought with Hausser reaching on an error followed by a base hit off the bat of Hansen. A ground ball pushed the pair into scoring position before a wild pitch allowed Hausser to score the first Panther run.
 
The Panthers were unable to do further damage despite Thelen walking and Cline reaching on an infield single to load the bases as the final two batters of the inning were retired.
 
After Hoerter got through the seventh inning unscathed, the Panther bullpen was unable to repeat in the eighth as Youngstown State scored three more runs on two home runs in the inning to extend the Penguin lead to 11-1.
 
Milwaukee scratched one final run across the plate in the top of the ninth as Benson and Jacob Kaiser walked with one down, before Nathan Ebersole collected his first RBI of the season on a first-pitch base hit to plate Benson and score the second and final Panther run of the game.
 
Up Next
Milwaukee and Youngstown State will conclude their three-game series on Sunday, as the teams will meet again at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio with first pitch slated for 11:00 a.m. (CT).