FRANKLIN, Wis. – The Milwaukee Panthers walked it off in extra innings on Friday afternoon, taking down the Wright State Raiders by a 6-5 score in the 10th inning on a two-run single off the bat of Luke Seidel.
 
The Panthers and Raiders were tied at three heading to the 10th before Wright State took a 5-3 lead. Milwaukee answered back in its last turn at bat with three runs as Ty Olejnik drove in one and Seidel capped the game with the two-run base knock.
 
"Offensively we came in and put together some good at bats in the 10th inning," said head coach Scott Doffek. "Olejnik got down 0-2 and just fought and put together a base hit for us. I told Seidel earlier in the game that he was pulling off everything, but you're going to be in a situation where you're going to stay on the baseball, and he did for the game winner."
 
The pitching was up to the task throughout the game behind starter Luke Hansel, who allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision. Sam Mathews got out of the seventh on seven pitches.
 
Johnny Kelliher tossed 1 2/3 hitless frames before Mike Sullivan yielded the two runs in the top of the 10th. Adrian Montilva recorded the final two outs via strikeout as he allowed just one hit during his outing.
 
"Luke [Hansel] threw the ball fairly well but put some added pressure on himself but made big pitches at the right time to keep us in the game," said Doffek on the staff. "Our bullpen from top to bottom did a great job."
 
Seidel ended the game with two hits in his last two at bats of the game, including the game-winning two-run single. Marcus Cline was involved in the offense all day with two hits and two walks, while scoring three runs.
 
Mark Connelly had three hits, while Aaron Chapman led the team by going 4-for-5 on the day. Jack Thelen had a bunt single and drove in a pair, while Olejnik was 3-for-5 at the dish with an RBI and scored the game-winning run. Milwaukee for the game had a season-high 17 hits, eclipsing the previous high of 14 at both Pacific (February 24) and Southeast Missouri (March 5).
 
Wright State opened the scoring in the top of the first inning on a hit batter, stolen base, and single before a double play brought across the first run of the game.
 
The Panthers loaded the bases with one down in the bottom of the first inning, but the Raiders were able to get out of the jam after Cline walked, and Connelly and Chapman singled the bases full.
 
Hansel worked around a pair of walks in the second and got his first 1-2-3 inning in the third to send the game to the bottom of the inning.
 
Cline doubled with one down in the bottom of the third before Connelly reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Chapman followed with a run-scoring single to even the game at one.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning the Raiders opened the fifth with a leadoff single, and after two outs connected on a two-run home run to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Cline got another rally started with a single to lead off the bottom of the fifth and moved up to second as Chapman singled to put a pair on base. Cline stole third ahead of Thelen's RBI groundout to plate Cline and pull the Panthers back within two.
 
After Hansel and Mathews got through the top of the seventh inning, Milwaukee came back up in the bottom of the frame, and it was Cline to work back from down 0-2 to draw a leadoff walk.
 
Connelly singled before a wild pitch moved the pair into scoring position. Up next was Thelen again who turned around on a bunt and placed it perfectly to plate Cline and tie the game at three.
 
Kelliher came on in the top of the eighth and retired four of the five batters he faced around a hit by pitch. Sullivan got out of the ninth to send the game to the bottom of the inning.
 
Chapman picked up another hit with one down in the ninth, before stealing second and moving up to third on an error, but the Panthers were denied and went to extra innings for the second time on the season.
 
Wright State scored twice in the top of the 10th to take a 5-3 lead as Milwaukee came back up to bat in the bottom of the inning.
 
Justin Hausser got the inning started with a first pitch double down the left field line. An. Chapman then singled to put runners on the corners before moving up to second on a wild pitch. Olejnik singled to plate Hausser before stealing second with the potential game-winning run.
 
Up next was Seidel, who took a ball on the first pitch before taking the next pitch into right field as Chapman and Olejnik scored to seal the series win for the Panthers.
 
Milwaukee will go for the series sweep against the Raiders on Saturday afternoon, when the Panthers play host to the Raiders for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.