BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Looking to build off yesterday's game two win over Western Kentucky, Milwaukee built up a 7-6 lead midway through the seventh inning but a five-run Hilltopper rally in the bottom of the eighth proved to be too much for the Panthers to overcome in an 11-7 loss on Sunday afternoon.
 
Outfielders Carson Hansen and Q Phillips had multi-RBI efforts, as Hansen had a pair of doubles, and Phillips had a triple on the day. Teige Lethert scored two runs as he finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk, as the Panthers connected on nine hits on the afternoon.
 
"We found some positivity in the batter's box this weekend, and now we need to carry over that confidence heading into the opening weekend of Horizon League play," said head coach Shaun Wegner, who's offense had 26 hits over its final three games of the series.
 
All six of Milwaukee's pitchers that took the hill had runs charged against them, as the Panthers were unable to hang on to their 5-2 and 7-6 leads.
 
"Our pitchers got out of a few jams today, but we also didn't help ourselves with some of the free bases we allowed," Wegner said as his staff allowed five walks. "The eighth inning ultimately did us in again as we were not able to keep the lead … if you want to win baseball games consistently, we have to find ways to limit damage and not allow crooked numbers."
 
The Hilltoppers took a two-run lead in the first inning off Milwaukee's first-time starter Riley Peterson, who settled down after the first and sent the game to the fourth with the Panthers down a pair.
 
The Panthers put together their best inning of the season offensively with five runs on as many hits in the top of the fourth with Hansen's two-run double giving Milwaukee a 3-2 lead before Gabe Roessler and Phillips added RBIs.
 
Western Kentucky scored two in the bottom of the fourth, chasing Peterson in the process. The Hilltoppers added runs in the fifth and sixth to regain the advantage at 6-5.
 
The top of the seventh saw Milwaukee take the lead back as Phillips tripled to chase home Lethert with the tying run, before Sean Tillmon brought Phillips around on a fielder's choice for a 7-6 lead.
 
Cole Spitzer, who let up a run in his first inning of work bounced back with an effective bottom of the seventh as he stranded a pair on base. "Spitzer showed some poise and composure for a freshman and ultimately took care of his opportunity," Wegner added.
 
WKU put up their own five spot in the bottom of the eighth off three Milwaukee pitchers as Joey Baran punctuated the inning with a two-run double. Baran along with Blake Cavill and Brady Browning each led the Hilltopper offense with two RBIs apiece, as Browning finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate.
 
Six pitchers combined for nine innings for the home team as Cal Higgins pitched the final 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and striking out three to notch the win. Johnny Kelliher got saddled with the loss as he was charged with three runs in the five-run Hilltopper eighth.
 
Milwaukee heads into Horizon League play next beginning a three-game series on the road against Wright State. The series at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio will begin on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (CT).