DeKALB, Ill. – The final game of the non-conference schedule was on the slate for the Milwaukee baseball team as the Panthers took on the Northern Illinois Huskies at Owens Park. The Huskies won the game by a 12-1 score.
 
The lone bright spot on offense for the Panthers was a solo home run off the bat of Tommy Benson, as the Milwaukee bats were only able to muster three hits against five Northern Illinois pitchers.
 
The Panthers trailed 3-0 after the first inning as the Huskies crossed three runs off Panther starter Curtis Sheahan.
 
Milwaukee loaded the bases in the top of the second inning as Aaron Chapman walked with one down followed by Marcus Cline reaching on an error. Carson Hansen walked on a 3-2 pitch but the next two batters were retired as the Panthers left the bases full.
 
Keagon Kaufmann pitched a hitless second inning but was touched up for two runs in the third. Ryan Hoerter was next on the hill for the black and gold and yielded two runs in the fourth inning on one hit and a sacrifice fly.
 
Trailing by seven runs Milwaukee came up to bat in the fifth and after the first two batters were retired, Benson connected on his third home run of the season to break the shutout and pull the Panthers back within six runs.
 
Hoerter worked around a leadoff single in the fifth before the first two batters reached against him in the sixth. Andy Neu was next out of the bullpen and allowed both inherited runners to score as well as three of his own.
 
Sam Mathews came on and retired the last two batters of the inning via strikeout to bring the Panthers back up to bat in the seventh.
 
Hansen singled with one down, while Thomas Otto walked on four pitches, but the Panthers were unable to connect on bringing either baserunner home as Northern Illinois won by a 12-1 margin.
 
Milwaukee will finish up the regular season at home this weekend as the Panthers will host the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons for a three-game conference series. The three games will all start at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Franklin Field.