VALPARAISO, Ind. – Host Valparaiso scored seven runs over the first two innings, which proved to be enough in an 8-6 win over the Milwaukee Panthers at Emory G. Bauer Field on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The middle of the Beacon lineup drove in seven runs with Spencer Warfield leading Valparaiso with two of its four hits and three RBIs.
 
"We were able to push three across right out of the jump which was great to see," said Shaun Wegner on Milwaukee's fast start. "Unfortunately, we found ourselves needing to dig out of a hole."
 
Milwaukee outhit Valpo 11-4 as Justin Hausser paced the Panther offense with three hits, while Gabe Roessler had a pair of knocks including his eighth home run of the season.
 
"I was proud of the offense and our ability to keep going and finding barrels throughout the game," noted Wegner. "We lined out on some balls hit extremely well and those could have been big momentum changers."
 
The Beacons scored five runs off Milwaukee starter Tristan Arnold and scored another three off Aiden Fishnick, who pitched a season-high four innings and struck out two.
 
Parker Bleck had the best outing of his young career with three hitless innings with just one walk and a pair of strikeouts to close out the game for the Panthers.
 
"It was great to see Fishnick and Bleck compete and battle through their innings while giving us a chance to rebound," Wegner added. "That's an outing for a freshman to expand upon as we move forward."
  
Milwaukee played small ball in the opening inning with RBI singles by Caden Headlee, Hausser, and Thomas Otto. The Beacons tied the score with three in the bottom of the first and scored four in the second to take a 7-3 advantage.
 
After Valparaiso connected on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth, it was Milwaukee's turn to respond with a three-spot in the sixth. Cade Palkowski had an RBI base hit, before Roessler had a two-run blast to left field.
 
The Panthers were only able to get two more baserunners on over the final three innings against Beacon relievers Nick Baffa and Ryan Kruse. Lucas Foley got the start for Valparaiso and earned the win after throwing the first five innings.
 
Milwaukee will be back on the road this weekend to play a three-game series at Purdue Fort Wayne. The set will open at 2:00 p.m. (CT) on Friday afternoon on Mastodon Field.