MILWAUKEE – Behind eight shutout innings of two-hit ball from seven pitchers, the Milwaukee baseball team blanked Oakland by an 11-0 score on Saturday afternoon.
 
The offense held up its end of the deal as well, tallying 11 hits, including a pair of home runs and four RBIs from Caden Headlee. Teige Lethert led the Panthers with four hits, including two doubles, while driving in a pair. Justin Hausser added another three hits with two doubles at the plate.
 
"That was a great way to cap off our regular season and build some momentum and positive energy heading into postseason play this week," commented head coach Shaun Wegner following the game.
 
The Panthers put up three runs in the top of the first behind a sac fly from Hausser and two-run single off the bat of Lethert.
 
Matthew Mueller got the start for Milwaukee and pitched two hitless innings, striking out five. Keagon Kaufmann struck followed with two scoreless innings of his own, adding a strikeout to keep the Panthers in control.
 
In the fifth inning, Lethert played another run with a double, while John Hadley got in on the action with an RBI groundout.
 
"Offensively, we played a little team baseball early on to get on the boards and then the guys really brought some thump to the tune of doubles and home runs," Wegner said. "All around, a very productive day from many different guys in the box."
 
Tyler Andrews set Oakland down in order in the bottom of the fifth before the Panthers extended their lead to 7-0 behind a two-run homer from Headlee in the sixth.
 
Parker Bleck was next out of the bullpen and delivered a clean sixth inning with a strikeout.
 
Milwaukee added a run on a wild pitch in the seventh, making it eight unanswered, followed by another scoreless frame from Mike Sullivan.
 
Headlee launched another two-run home run in the top of the eighth, and Cade Palkowski capped off the scoring by driving in Lethert with a run-scoring double, making it 11-0.
 
After Riley Peterson began the bottom of the eighth, Zach Dohrmann came in and locked down the game with a strikeout and a double play to seal the win.
 
"I thought our pitching staff did a nice job all day of attacking the zone and allowing our defense to make plays behind them," added Wegner. "Oakland likes to capitalize off baserunners and pressure and we were able to limit that today."
 
The Panthers struck out 10 Golden Grizzlies on the afternoon, allowing just four walks and two hits. Matthew McGann and Sam Griffith recorded the two singles for the home team.
 
Hadley finished the game with two hits, while Gabe Roessler walked twice and added a double. Tyler Bickers and Bradyn Horn each contributed a single and walk.
 
Milwaukee will enter the Horizon League Championship as the No. 3 seed and will take on the sixth-seeded Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m. (CT) at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio. The six-team double-elimination tournament will feature at least 10 (and up to 11) games, with a champion being crowned on May 24.