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Walk-off gives Panthers another loss
Hart records 200th hit
By Mike Kennedy
Jordin Hood hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the University of Northern Illinois a 3-2 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team last Wednesday.
The Panthers (5-17) have now lost seven one-run games this season, but they witnessed a career mark by senior Jesse Hart, who had his 200th hit in the first inning with a double to right field. Hart is only the fourth player in school history to hit the mark.
Both teams came out early looking for a much needed win. Milwaukee struck in the top of the first when Hart scored off a Nick Wichser single.
Tim Hoy started on the mound for Milwaukee, going five innings with five strikeouts and allowing only six hits and one earned run. The Huskies (10-14) notched a run of their own in the first inning to tie the game at one apiece, when Hoy walked a man with the bases loaded.
There would be only three more runs scored the rest of the game, as pitching carried both teams. Brandon Copp went five innings with four strikeouts for NIU, while Cuyler Franzke put in three innings of middle relief for the Panthers, allowing only two hits.
NIU scored in the bottom of the fifth, but Milwaukee came back in the top of the seventh. They went on to win a run with Troy Vesling’s single, which allowed Wichser to score and tie the game, 2-2.
Panther head coach Scott Doffek brought in Jordan Herbert to hold in the ninth. He did just that, keeping the Huskies from scoring and forcing extra innings.
In the 10th inning, the Panthers were held scoreless and earned only one hit. Herbert earned a strikeout and a walk and a wild pitch forced Doffek to bring in Matt Holzheuter. After walking the first batter to set up the double-play potential, Hood singled to the left, allowing the winning run to cross the plate.
Herbert recorded his fourth loss, and the Panthers look to get on the winning track when they play their first series at Hank Aaron Field in Milwaukee on Fri., April 11, against Cleveland St. starting at 2 p.m.
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