DAYTON, Ohio – The Milwaukee offense put up 19 runs on 17 hits, including a five-hit day from
Carson Hansen, as the Panthers cruised to their first Horizon League victory of the season, 19-6 over Wright State on Saturday afternoon.
Milwaukee led 17-9 in the hit column with Hansen's 5-for-6 effort at the plate leading the way, he had three doubles and finished the game with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Tyler Bickers had four hits and four RBIs, while
Q Phillips,
Teige Lethert, and
Tai Walton all had multi-RBI games.
"I'm proud of how our guys responded after yesterday's game," said
Shaun Wegner. "That is a strong program with a good history, and we found a way to attack early and often with the bats. Hitting is contagious and we saw that today."
"Carson was tremendous at the plate as well as many others," Wegner added. Hansen's five-hit effort was just the 22nd five-plus hit game in program history and first since the 2013 season. Hansen's three doubles also tied the program record, last accomplished in 2018.
In addition to the offensive outburst, the Panthers got five strong innings of relief from
Logan Snow, who notched his first win of the year without allowing an earned run and striking out five Raiders.
"Logan was what won us that ballgame," Wegner noted. "To face an offense that has produced like it has this season and limit them with the conditions today was outstanding. He was able to allow us to get that game in seven innings and keep our bullpen intact for the rubber match tomorrow."
The Panthers scored early with a four-run first inning as Hansen opened the scoring with an RBI double to plate
Justin Hausser, who led MKE with four runs scored on the day.
Camden Kuhnke drew a bases loaded walk just ahead of Phillips' two-run single to make it 4-0.
Wright State scored three runs in the bottom of the first off Panther starter
Adrian Montilva, who ended the game with three strikeouts as he allowed five runs over two-plus innings of work.
After scoring four more runs in the second inning, including back-to-back RBI doubles by Hansen and Bickers, the scoring simmered down for a few innings as the Panthers led 8-5 heading into the third.
Snow came in and stranded a pair of inherited runners in the bottom of the third and yielded an unearned run in the fourth as the Raiders made it a two-run game.
Milwaukee put up another four-spot in the fifth inning initiated by three-straight one-out walks by
Gabe Roessler, Hausser, and
Sean Tillmon. Hansen singled to score one, followed by a two-run single off the bat of Bickers. Phillips was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score the fourth run for the Panthers.
The MKE offense went right back to work in the sixth, kickstarted by walks from Roessler and Hausser. Tillmon and Bickers had run-scoring singles before Lethert scored two more with an opposite-field double.
Tai Walton drove in two with a double into the left field corner, before Roessler was up for the second time in the inning and plated Walton to cap off Milwaukee's seven-run frame, increasing its lead to 19-6.
Snow put the hammer down over the final two innings, allowing just a one-out walk in the seventh to close out his first win of the season.
Wright State was led by Jay Luikart, who was 2-for-4 and drove in a pair, while Ben Vore went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Seven pitchers threw for the Raiders, with no pitcher recording more than four outs. Starting pitcher Josh Laisure took the loss.
"Tomorrow, we have a chance to show up and win a series on the road in conference, which is tough to do," Wegner concluded. "I know our guys will be ready to bring the energy early on."
The Panthers and Raiders wrap-up their three-game set on Sunday, with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m. at Nischwitz Stadium.
