Milwaukee Athletics

LAS VEGAS – UNLV scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to erase a four-run deficit and earn the series win over Milwaukee, 8-7.
 
Cooper Sheff had the game-winning single, driving in the Rebels' fifth run of the inning, and sixth unanswered tally to complete the comeback. Milwaukee led 5-1 after two and 6-2 after five but were unable to hold the advantage.
 
"It was a really disappointing finish to a game where I believed we were the better team through 8 1/2 innings," said head coach Shaun Wegner. "Unfortunately, you need to be able to finish the ninth, and we did not do so. It leaves a sour taste because we all know what we needed to do, and we didn't execute."
 
Grant Ross had three hits out of the leadoff spot for Milwaukee, while Dylan O'Connell led all players with three RBIs. John Hadley VI had two of the Panthers' weekend-high 11 hits.
 
Riley Peterson went the first five innings for the Panthers and struck out three batters but did not factor into the decision.
 
Milwaukee began the game with an offensive outburst in the first inning against UNLV starter Josh Donegan. Ross singled and scored all the way from first on a Charlie Marion triple. O'Connell drove Marion in with a sacrifice fly. Dominic Kibler singled, stole second, and later scored on a Connor Bozak RBI single to make it 3-0.
 
UNLV got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly.
 
The Panthers had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the second before O'Connell drove both in with a single to left centerfield. Milwaukee took a 5-1 lead and knocked Donegan out of the game in the second.
 
"Early on the offense really did a great job against Donegan of being ready to attack," said Wegner. "We were able to use the run game to enhance our pressure and create some additional opportunities to push runs across."
 
After UNLV got a run back with a solo home run in the fourth, the Panthers responded with back-to-back doubles in the fifth. Hadley VI reached on a two-out double and scored on a hit by Christian Holmes to make it 6-2.
 
Milwaukee added another run in the top of the seventh as Kibler reached on a leadoff walk and later scored on a Hadley VI knock. The Rebels answered with a run against Aiden Fishnick on a bases-loaded walk.
 
After a scoreless eighth by Cullen Riel, Milwaukee went back to the bullpen and UNLV sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, with five of them scoring to complete the comeback.
 
Jacob Gomberg earned the win with a hitless top of the ninth, while Mason Weckler suffered the loss, allowing the final run to score for the Rebels.
 
Milwaukee heads home to play Valparaiso on Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m. at Franklin Field.