FRANKLIN, Wis. – Milwaukee outhit visiting Butler by a 13-10 margin but was unable to string together enough offense as the Bulldogs took the rubber match of the series, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon.
 
Gunnar Duncan led Butler with five RBIs, including what proved to be the difference-maker by plating the eighth Bulldog run in the seventh inning. Duncan also had a two-run home run and a two-run single earlier in the game, finishing 3-for-4 at the plate.
 
Dominic Kibler paced Milwaukee with three hits and two RBIs. Grant Ross and Max Glusick also recorded multi-RBI games, with Ross connecting on a two-run home run in the fifth.
 
Sotaro Ishida got the start for Milwaukee and was backed up by a strong effort from Mason Weckler. Camden Kuhnke closed out the game, pitching the final two innings.
 
Milwaukee struck first with a pair of runs off Butler opener Garyson Smiddy on RBI singles by Kibler and Glusick.
 
Butler answered in the second with a two-run home run by Duncan to tie the game, then added four more in the third off Ishida. Duncan had a two-run single, and later Easton Moore drove in two more to extend the lead to 6-2.
 
"Ishida in the beginning didn't have fastball command. They just started sitting on off-speed and taking advantage," said head coach Shaun Wegner. "Defensively, that's where our blunders have really been, and they were there all weekend … we're really costing ourselves extra outs, giving extra opportunities, and those teams are doing damage against us."
 
After getting the last out of the third, Weckler kept the Bulldogs in check over the next two innings, allowing Milwaukee to get back in the game.
 
Christian Holmes singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth ahead of Ross' home run to trim the deficit in half. Later in the inning, Milwaukee strung together a walk and three straight hits, including RBI knocks by Kibler and Bradyn Horn, to level the score at six.
 
"Offensively, we had more opportunities, and we could have gotten this game on our side," added Wegner. "The one through five positions have been consistent for us. We're still trying to find who can be the complementary pieces in those other spots in the lineup, so it's encouraging to see those guys continue to build on their success. Now we just need some other guys to step up and contribute a little bit more."
 
Weckler allowed an unearned run in the sixth and was charged with another run in the top of the seventh as Butler regained a two-run advantage.
 
The Panthers strung three hits together to open the seventh as Kibler singled, Horn doubled, and Glusick drove in Kibler with an infield hit. A wild pitch move the pair into scoring position, but a hard struck line drive by Cade Palkowski was caught, and the next two batters struck out to end the Milwaukee threat.
 
The Panthers stranded two runners in the bottom of the eighth and another in the ninth as Joey Spence tripled with two down. However, the Panthers were held in check as Brett Sherrard locked down the save.
 
Sherrard was the seventh pitcher of the game for Butler, with Jack Hagen earning the win after pitching the fifth inning.
 
Ishida went the first 2 2/3 for Milwaukee and struck out four, while Weckler took the loss despite striking out six over 3 2/3 innings. Cullen Riel pitched 2/3 of an inning before handing it off to Kuhnke, who threw the final two innings.
 
"Mason did a good job filling up the zone," Wegner said. "When we elevate pitch counts and we give them extra outs, it makes it more difficult on the pitcher. He did a good job overcoming that, it's just unfortunate timing that he gets the loss."
 
Milwaukee is next scheduled to play UIC at home on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. However, due to a potential weather system in the area, that game is in jeopardy. Fans are encouraged to check back to MKEPanthers.com for the latest updates.