The Panthers had won eight of their last nine coming into this game, and they got off to a hot start thanks to a three-run home run hit by Dominic Kibler in the bottom of the first inning off Wright State starter Cam Allen.
Allen posted a five-inning two-run total in his last appearance against Milwaukee. He was quickly off to a worse start than his last.
Panthers’ shortstop Christian Holmes followed the homerun with a blistering RBI double into right center, capping off a four-run first inning for the squad.
By the end of the fourth inning, the Panthers tallied three more runs by way of a Christian Holmes safety-squeeze and Tate Schmidt RBI single, both in the third, and Dylan O’Connell scoring all the way from first on an awry pick off attempt that included two throwing errors by the Raiders defense, who came into the game as the best in the Horizon League.
Good Days Work on the Mound:
Milwaukee’s graduate pitcher Gavin Theis produced quality innings for the squad in his ninth start of the season. The former Horizon League pitcher of the year went six innings, throwing 110 pitches and recording six strikeouts, a walk and seven hits, to go along with four runs given up, three of which were earned runs.
Wright State Comeback
What seemed like a runaway victory for the Panthers quickly turned into a highly competitive, tense game due to a slow but sure climb through the latter innings for Wright State, sparked by a two-run shot to left center by Wright State redshirt sophomore second baseman Hunter Warren in the top of the fifth inning.
They would tack on more in the sixth after a defensive miscue by Panthers’ third baseman Grant Ross. Ross had a throwing error to first base, which allowed a Raider runner to score and Wright State batter Braylen Blomquist to advance all the way to third. Wright State catcher Zac Butler sent a shot to center field, driving Blomquist in, taking the score to seven to four.
The bottom of the sixth and seventh stayed quiet for Wright State pitchers Matthew Johnson and Michael Zielinski. Milwaukee’s bats stayed cold amid some tension and trash talk between the dugouts.
On the other side of the mound, the top of the seventh inning brought Gavin Theis’ day to an end as Milwaukee relief pitcher Sotaro Ishida entered from the bullpen.
After an eight-pitch walk to Wright State’s Keegan Holmstrom and another fielding error at third by Ross, which allowed another baserunner, he bounced back and closed out the side with a flyout to right field by Wright State’s Gus Gregory.
In the top of the eighth, you could start to see the completion of a comeback come to fruition right before your eyes. Ishida jogged back on the mound for a second inning. Right away, trouble could be sensed as the leadoff batter reached on a five-pitch walk. The second batter lined out to center on the second pitch of the AB.
Tensions rose further after what seemed like a gritty, tough AB that went six pitches between Ishida and Wright State’s Butler ended on a hit by pitch; the pressure mounted.
Milwaukee’s manager, Shaun Wegner, took the long trot out to the mound, grabbing the ball from Ishida and bringing in leverage reliever and fifth-year senior Lucas Watson.
With two outs and runners at first and second, Wright State redshirt sophomore Cam Gilkerson put a charge into the ball to right field on a shot that looked as if it might never come back down to earth, tying the game at seven in the top of the eighth.
Watson went on to reload the bases before being pulled and relieved of his duties by Milwaukee closer Camden Kuhnke, who shut things down with a strikeout to end the inning… with a tie ball game.
A Race to the Finish
In the bottom of the eighth, Wright State brought on relief pitcher Malachi Paplanus, and after a first-pitch flyout to center, the bats started to roll for Milwaukee. A walk put a runner on first, which was followed by a single to right by Milwaukee’s Charlie Marion. Dylan O’Connell sent a single through to left field, which then loaded the bases for Milwaukee’s lone home run hitter of the day, Dominic Kibler.
After seeing five pitches, he walked to first to untie the game eight-seven Milwaukee, even letting the emotion show with a few first pumps on the way down to first.
Wright State turned to RHP Cooper Ashby with the bases still loaded, where Sophomore outfielder Bradyn Horn shot a single up the middle to score two to bring the ballgame to ten to seven.
Wright State manager turned to pitcher Evan Boeckmann to close out the inning, which he did after two strikeouts to strand the last runners of the inning. Camden Kuhnke returned to the mound to close the game for Milwaukee. He fulfilled his duties, sending the Wright State batters down in order, one, two, three, including two strikeouts in his inning and a third’s work, collecting the win on his way.
The Panthers won the first game of the series by a score of 10-7. Milwaukee now rests at a record of 14-24 and sits second in the Horizon League, behind Wright State. The Panthers look to continue their scorching form as the season marches on.