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Home sweep home
Panthers take doubleheader against Bradley
By Matt Capristo
On a perfect spring day in Milwaukee, the Panthers came with the perfect storm of hitting and pitching to sweep a doubleheader with Bradley on Tuesday, 4-3 and 4-2.
The Panthers (11-21) had to come from behind in game one after falling into an early three-run hole. Nibbling back into the game with a run in the second and third innings, the Panthers were able to grab the lead on a Josh Groves RBI ground out.
That was all the pitching staff needed. Junior starter Tim Hoy was able to settle down after a rough first two innings to earn the win. Hoy didn’t give up a hit after the second, retiring the last 10 batters he faced. The bullpen finished the job as Brad Lusti went 1-2-3 in the sixth and Matt Holzheuter finished the job with another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to record his first save of the season.
In game two, it was the Panthers who struck first in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run, and a thrilling suicide squeeze by Andy Hetebrueg to score Shawn Wozniak. Nick Wichser and Troy Vesling each drove in a run in the fifth to make the lead 4-1. Once again, that was all the pitching staff needed to tame the Braves (16-17).
Freshman starter Cuyler Franzke went five innings and allowed one run on three hits. Junior Craig Meier finished the game with two innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits to record his first save of the season.
“You can see a different bounce in their steps,” head coach Scott Doffek remarked.
It’s been a long overdue homecoming for the Panthers after playing their first 30 games on the road—the scheduled home opener last Friday was relocated due to weather.
“It’s tough playing in this part of the country, having to go on the road 10 weekends in a row,” Doffek said. “We haven’t had a practice outdoors yet.”
Home cooking may have just been what the doctor prescribed for homesickness. The Panthers pitching staff, which has struggled at times, was lights out. Milwaukee came in with a team ERA of 6.58, opposed to an ERA of only 2.00 against Bradley.
Offensively, Wichser extended his hitting streak to 24 games with a 4-for-7 day. Wozniak had a great day at the plate, reaching base five times on six at bats and scoring twice.
The homecoming will be short, however, as the Panthers don’t return to Henry Aaron Field until April 29.
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