MILWAUKEE – Gavin Theis threw seven shutout innings and made a two-run home run from Caden Headlee stand, as the Milwaukee baseball team shutout Purdue Fort Wayne, 2-0, on Friday afternoon.
 
Theis improved to 8-1 on the season, needing 103 pitches to get through eight strong for the Panthers. The right-hander struck out seven batters while scattering four hits and three walks.
 
"I think Gavin could very well have cemented himself as the pitcher of the league with his performance today," said head coach Shaun Wegner postgame. "We've always known he's a very mature pitcher with a calm presence on the mound … and today he wasn't fazed by anything and was able to work out of a couple of jams and keep us at zero."
 
After setting down Purdue Fort Wayne in order in the first, Theis worked around a one-out single in the second and stranded the runner with a pair of strikeouts.
 
In the bottom half, Charlie Marion singled up the middle ahead of Headlee, who sent the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to put the Panthers ahead, 2-0.
 
"You've got to love seeing Caden get that ball, that was a huge play for us," said Wegner. Unfortunately, we couldn't tack any more on."
 
Theis and Mastodon starter Dillon Fischer matched zeroes the rest of the way. Fischer retired seven in a row between the third and fifth innings as he went the distance for Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
"Give Fischer credit, he threw the ball really well today," noted Wegner. "I was a little disappointed in the middle innings, we didn't work the pitch counts a little bit more and allowed him to stay in the game."
 
Theis loaded the bases with one down in the fifth but induced a comebacker to start the 1-2-3 double play, leaving a pair on base.
 
Riley Peterson came on in the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches before allowing a single. Two pitches later, Purdue Fort Wayne hit into its second double play of the game, as Milwaukee went around the horn to seal the win.
 
"We put Riley in there because we knew they were very left-handed to start, he let up the one hit but was able to get us out of there quickly with the ground ball double play.
 
PFW recorded just five hits on the game, including two from Kevin Hall. Gabe Roessler had a pair of hits for the Panthers.
 
Milwaukee and Purdue Fort Wayne will meet again on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. at Franklin Field.