LOOKING AT WRIGHT STATE
Top-seeded Wright State finished the league schedule with a 25-5 record, suffering two losses this season to both Northern Kentucky and Milwaukee. Eric Sogard's squad finished the regular season with 34 wins, their most since 2023, when the team had a 39-win campaign.

As a team the Raiders were the only Horizon League team to finish with a batting average over .300 with a .304 mark with 470 runs scored. Boston Smith and JP Peltier led the team with 61 RBIs each, with Smith crushing 21 home runs while Peltier has 18 homers and a team-best 14 doubles. Cam Gilkerson had 51 RBIs in his freshman season while classmate Hunter Warren added another 44 RBIs.

On the mound, Wright State also led the Horizon with a team-best 6.59 ERA led by its quartet of starters Cam Allen, Jarrett Heilman, Griffen Paige and Mychal Grogan. The Raiders rely on a stable of strong relievers led by Max Whitesell and his team-best 3.22 ERA over 19 outings, JJ Thompson, Warren Hartzell, Malachi Paplanus, and Garrett Peters have also been valuable assets all year for WSU.

LOOKING AT NORTHERN KENTUCKY
With a sweep over Youngstown State this past weekend, Northern Kentucky finished the season just ahead of Milwaukee with an 18-12 Horizon League Record. The Norse had 30 wins for three-straight seasons with a 30-23 overall mark in 2025. The defending Horizon League champions defeated Milwaukee, Wright State and Youngstown State before moving on to play both Tennessee and Southern Mississippi in the Knoxville Regional a year ago.

NKU hit .288 on the year, led by a trio if players that all had at least 70 hits this season. Logen Devenport had a team-best .423 average with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs as he led the team with 19 doubles. Gabe Miranda led the team with 65 RBIs and four triples, while Tyler Shaneyfelt at the top of the Northern Kentucky lineup scored a team-best 73 runs scored and 32 stolen bases. Josh Williams was tied with Devenport with 14 homers.

Kaden Echeman was the top arm for the Norse this season with a 3.83 ERA over 51 2/3 innings with 80 strikeouts. Aaron Boster put together a strong season in year two with NKU after transferring to Highland Heights, Boster had 58 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings. Conner Linn was the third starter and tossed 59 innings with 56 strikeouts. Shawn Parnell was one of the top relievers with Northern Kentucky with 33 2/3 innings and 37 strikeouts, while Ryan Pehrson, Logan Wilson, and Evan Fry were all valuable out of the bullpen.

LOOKING AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Winning 11 games in Horizon League play and 14 overall this season, Youngstown State was able to clinch the fourth seed despite being swept in the season-ending series at Northern Kentucky last weekend. First-year head coach Trevor Charpie have relied heavily on their offense, while the pitching staff finished last in the league.

As Kyle Fossum goes, so too does the Penguin offense, as the senior led the team with a .382 average with 79 hits and 22 home runs, while leading the offense with 58 runs driven in while scoring 60 of his own. Tommy Rover and Cole Smith have also contributed to Youngstown State's offensive success this year with 54 hits apiece. As a team YSU has a .277 batting average with 358 runs scored.

The pitching staff allowed 559 runs over 54 runs this season. Ace Jacob Gehring led the team with 56 strikeouts over 61 1/3 innings, while Brandon Mikos and JJ Tylicki have added to the rotation depth. However, Tylicki has struggled with his command with 61 walks against 64 strikeouts. In the bullpen it's been the Braden Gebhardt show with a few cameo appearances by Mikey Rodrugues in terms of the successful relievers for the Penguins.

LOOKING AT OAKLAND
The Golden Grizzlies do just enough it seems this season having played in 18 one-run games this season with a 5-13 record in those games including a 2-2 mark in their last four. Overall this season Oakland is 17-39 with a 10-20 record in Horizon League games.

Brian Nelson's aggressive squad leads the Horizon League with 128 stolen bases led by the man atop the lineup with Trent Rice leading the way with 36 this season. In addition to Rice, his fellow corner outfield John Lauinger leads Oakland with a .31 average with 72 hits this season. Newcomer Matthew McGann has a team-best seven home runs and 44 RBIs, while Brandon Nigh has been a staple in the lineup since his Rookie of the Year honor in 2022 and has a team best 19 doubles in 2025.

Oakland has a 1-2 punch atop their rotation with veteran Hunter Pidek and freshman lefty Grant Garman. The pair have pitched over 140 innings combined with 116 combined strikeouts. He bullpen has featured Daniel Duley and a team-best 4.33 ERA, while Ryan Donley and Ryan Uhlenhake both have 20+ appearances. Tanner Ware has split his time as a starter and a reliever with a 6.47 ERA over 48 2/3 innings.

LOOKING AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE
The Mastodons finished just a half-game behind Oakland having lost the only game of the season against Milwaukee on April 6. Nine of Purdue Fort Wayne's 11 wins this season have come in league competition. PFW has won just one of its last six league games with the one win coming in dramatic fashion with a walk-off grand slam.

The grand slam was hit by none other than Justin Osterhouse, who claimed the final Horizon League Batter of the Week for the 2025 season on Monday. Osterhouse led the Mastodon offense with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs this season, while Camden Karczewski beat out Osterhouse for the team lead in batting average by one point (.324 to .323). As a team, PFW has a league-low .264 average collectively with just 286 runs scored.

Zane Danielson and Dillon Fischer have been a 1-2 punch for the Mastodons but have not gotten the run support to earn wins as the pair are a combined 1-13 on the season. Fischer leads PFW with 64 strikeouts over 83 1/3 innings. Cole Newell, Theo Nagy, Trent Murphy, and Carson Caudill have been the most used arms for the Dons out of the bullpen.

ALL-LEAGUE PANTHERS
On May 20, the Horizon League announced its All-League honors with Milwaukee pitcher Gavin Theis earning Pitcher of the Year accolades, while Logan Snow was named the Horizon League Reliever of the Year. The duo become the first two Panthers to earn individual honors since eh 2016 season when Daulton Varsho was named Player of the Year and Brian Keller earned Pitcher of the Year accolades.

Theis becomes Milwaukee's first Pitcher of the Year since Keller in 2016, while Snow becomes the first relief pitcher to be named Reliever of the Year since AJ Blubaugh earned back-to-back in 2021 and 2022.

Theis and Snow along with third baseman Tyler Bickers and shortstop Gabe Roessler were all named first team honorees. The four Panthers on the first team ties the program record, as Milwaukee also had four first-team honorees in both 2013 and 2009.

With Justin Hausser's recognition on the second team, Milwaukee had five players earn All-League recognition, the most since they had five in 2023. The program record for the Panthers is eight, with four players on the first team and four on the second team in 2013.

Tate Schmidt was named to the All-Freshman team in 2025, while Teige Lethert was named as Milwaukee's finalist for All-Sportsmanship.

IN THE CLASSROOM
On May 14, the Horizon League announced its Academic All-League teams with Milwaukee featuring a league-best five selections. Keagon Kaufmann earned his second-straight appearance on the team and was joined by Teige Lethert and Gavin Theis. Tyler Bickers and Logan Snow were selected to the Honorable Mention list.

THE 200 HIT CLUB
Justin Hausser joined elite company on May 15 as he became the 10th player in Division I program history with 200 hits in a career with an opposite-field single against Oakland. Hausser now has 203 hits, and became the first Panther to reach the 200 mark since Luke Meeteer had his 200th during the 2016 season. Meeteer finished his career as the program's all-time hit leader with 273 hits in 222 career games.

HORIZON LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Milwaukee has had four players earn weekly honors during the 2025 season thus far. Aric Ehmke was named Pitcher of the Week on April 8, while the Panthers swept the awards on April 15 with Charlie Marion earning Player of the Week and Gavin Theis earning Pitcher of the Week accolades.

Gavin Theis repeated as Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on May 13, as he became the first Panther pitcher to win multiple 'Pitcher of the Week' honors in a season since Riley Frey during the 2022 campaign.

HOME RUNS IN A SEASON
Milwaukee currently has 52 home runs this season through its first 54 games, the Panthers are currently on pace to finish with 54 home runs this season, which would place them in third on the single-season list…
1. 77, 1999
2. 74, 2001
3. 52, 2025
3. 52, 2000
5. 51, 1998

THE THEIS IS RIGHT
Gavin Theis has been impeccable for Milwaukee during his Horizon League starts this season. The right-hander has 53 strikeouts over 61 innings of work with a perfect 7-0 record. In Horizon League games started by Theis, the Panthers are 9-1, while the team is 10-4 in games Theis has started all season.

FIVE HIT GAMES
Tyler Bickers has had a pair of 5-for-5 efforts at the plate this season, the first coming on Mar. 29 at Northern Kentucky, and the second in a home game against Northern Illinois on Apr. 29. Most recently, Justin Hausser had a five-hit game on May 15 at Oakland, when he finished the game 5-for-6 with four singles and a double.

There have now been 25 instances in Milwaukee program history where a batter has recorded at least five hits in a single game.

THREE STEALS IN A GAME
Gabe Roessler stole three bases at Youngstown State on Mar. 15; he became the first Panther to swipe three bags in a game since he accomplished the same feat on May 5 last season against Purdue Fort Wayne. In early May, Caden Headlee joined Roessler with three steals in a game on May 7 at St. Thomas.

Milwaukee has now had 20 instances of a player stealing at least three bases in a game in program history, with the program record of four reached twice.

DOUBLE-DIGIT HOMERS
Charlie Marion (10) and Gabe Roessler (8) are currently on pace to eclipse double-digit home runs this season; the duo would be the first pair of Panthers to have at least 10 home runs since the 2006 campaign when Joe Nowicki and Ross McCoy each had 11 round trippers that year.

A PAIR OF TRIPS
With two triples in the team's win over Wright State on April 25, Tyler Bickers became the eighth Panther in the program's Division I history with a pair of three-baggers. He became the first Panther to get two triples in a game since Mitchell Buban did so on Feb. 15, 2020, against Wake Forest.

A PAIR OF FIVES
In the middle game of Milwaukee's road series at Youngstown State on Mar. 14 both Q Phillips and Gabe Roessler had five RBIs apiece in the lopsided 15-7 victory.

Last Four Occurrences
Mar. 14, 2025, at Youngstown State – Q Phillips (5) & Gabe Roessler (5)
Apr. 15, 2022, at Youngstown State – Nate DeYoung (7) & Connor Goodman (6)
Apr. 28, 2015, vs. Edgewood – Nick Unes (6) & Sam Koenig (5)
Apr. 12, 2006, at Chicago State – Ross McCoy (8) & Zak Rivera (5)

WEEKEND WOES
With 21 wins in 2025, Milwaukee has wins in 16 weekday games including a 11-6 mark in games on Fridays. However, the Panthers are just a meager 5-14 in games played on Saturdays and Sundays this year.

MORE RUNS ON FEWER HITS
Since April 25, Milwaukee has won three games when being out hit by opponents. The Panthers were previously held winless through the first two-plus months of the season when an opponent has outhit the Panthers.

Milwaukee has wins against Wright State (Apr. 25), MSOE (Apr. 3), and Northern Kentucky (May 2).

TOO MANY WALKS
Milwaukee pitching has allowed 289 walks this season entering play this week, that number is already the second-most in a single season in program history. The record for walks in a year was the 313 allowed by Milwaukee in the 2024 season.

TOO MANY STRIKEOUTS
Milwaukee struck out a combined 28 times (14 each game) in back-to-back games against Northern Kentucky on May 2 and 3 earlier this season. It was the most strikeouts for the Panthers in consecutive games since Milwaukee struck out a combined 31 times in back-to-back games on Mar. 1-2 against Long Beach State in 2024.

ONE-RUN WINS
Milwaukee won their first two one-run games of the season in late April with a 3-2 win over MSOE and a 5-4 extra-inning victory over Northern Kentucky on May 2. Milwaukee has since added a 4-3 win against Purdue Fort Wayne on May 11.

IN EXTRA INNINGS
This season, Milwaukee is 1-3 in extra-inning games, the Panthers hold a record of 17-19-1 in games needing extra frames dating back to the 2015 campaign.

The Panthers played back-to-back extra-inning games against Northern Kentucky on May 2 and 3 this past weekend. It was the first time that the Panthers played back-to-back extra-inning games in over a decade, when the team lost to Wright State on Mar. 22, and Oakland on Mar. 28 of that season.

MKE also had consecutive extra-inning games in May of 2011 against Valparaiso and have now done so three times in program history. The Panthers have never played three-straight extra-inning contests.

MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT
On April 30, former Milwaukee pitcher AJ Blubaugh made his Major League debut for the Houston Astros pitching against the Detroit Tigers. In the outing he had six strikeouts over four innings but was touched up for a pair of earned runs.

Blubaugh's debut made him the second Panther to reach the Major Leagues joining Daulton Varsho, who made his season debut on Apr. 29 after starting the season on the injured list.

The duo are two of five former Panthers to play affiliated ball in 2025. Milwaukee's most recent draftee of Owen Rice is playing for Single-A Palm Beach in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, while 2023 draftee Riley Frey is pitching for High-A Rome with the Atlanta Braves. Austin Schulfer is with Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

HOME COOKING
Over the last 21 seasons (2005-25), Milwaukee has taken the term 'home field advantage' to a new level, boasting winning seasons at home in all but two season (8-14 in 2022, 0-0 in 2020). The Panthers went unbeaten at home in 2013 (13-0), while the team has recorded three-straight seasons 12-7 marks in home games in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

NEWLY ANNOUNCED ON THE HORIZON
The Horizon League announced the addition of Northern Illinois as the 12th full-time member. The Huskies will bring 14 sports to the league, including baseball beginning in 2026-27. Milwaukee will play Northern Illinois at home during non-conference play this season on Apr. 29. The Panthers are 36-29 in all-time meetings with the Huskies, including the team's 18-15 win on Apr. 29.