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Panthers march past Iowa
Wichser, Hart combine for 6 hits, RBI
By Matt Capristo
Starting off an important week, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team began with a hit parade as they knocked off Iowa last Tuesday, 13-5 in Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes (14-22) have stumbled as of late after being picked to contend for a Big Ten title. However, they are still a dangerous team that is capable of doing damage as they indicated early in the season by knocking off the then No. 7 team in the country in Vanderbilt.
Tuesday night though the Panthers were able to put the bat on the ball and take advantage of several Iowa miscues including four wild pitches. The Panthers (13-24) kept innings alive and brightened the dark night by lighting up the scoreboard.
Going into the fourth inning down 2-1, the Panthers tied the game up with a two out single by Wes Munson. After a double by freshman Doug Dekoning, and Andy Gerhartz was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded and the stage set for a base clearing single by Jesse Hart.
After putting up three runs in the fifth, the Panthers were clearly in control of the game, up 8-2. The Hawkeyes fought back slowly scoring runs in the sixth and seventh and were poised to get back into the game in a big way in the bottom of the eighth.
The Panthers, up 9-4 with two outs and the bases loaded for the Hawkeyes, had Brad Lusti on the mound but struggled getting the final out of the inning walked one run in but was able to escape without any further damage.
To put any further doubt out of mind the Panthers lit up the scoreboard one more time with a four run ninth capped off by a Shaun Wegner RBI single.
"We played well,” said head coach Scott Doffek. “We got ahead early in the game and kept the pressure on them with two out RBI’s."
The Panthers amassed 18 hits off five different Iowa pitchers. The grand marshals for this hit parade were seniors Nick Wichser and Hart, who each had three hits and a combined six RBI. Wegner also had three hits.
Only three Panthers in the starting lineup didn't register more than one hit in this game. Gerhartz was the only Panther who did not record a hit, however he did reach base three times. The outstanding transfer from Eastern Arizona also compiled two runs and two stolen bases.
It wasn't only the veterans who made noise against Iowa. Freshman starter Cuyler Franze had a great outing with seven innings pitched and three earned runs on nine hits. He also struck out three and only walked one. Franze set a season-high with his seven innings pitched and three strikeouts on way to his third win of the season.
"We have the potential to finish strong," said Doffek. "We need the guys to step up and learn from the first half of the season. If they do we could make some noise."
The Panthers come back to Henry Aaron Field this weekend with a three game series against Valparaiso on Friday at 2 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
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