The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team traveled to South Bend, Indiana Wednesday to face off against Notre Dame, where they lost 14-3 to the Fighting Irish. South Bend was the first stop in a four-game road trip through Indiana.

The Panthers (3-15), losers of five straight, sent right-hander Jordan Herbert (0-3, 9.85 ERA) to the mound against the Irish (12-7-1). Notre Dame, who started freshman right-hander Ryan Sharpley (1-1, 2.70 ERA), were fresh off a Tuesday win over Ball State and a weekend sweep of Georgetown. They looked to extend the all-time series lead over Milwaukee, which stood at 9-3 going into the game.

The Irish got off to a quick start, scoring five runs in the first two innings as Herbert got off to a rocky start and was pulled after 2/3 innings. Tim Hoy lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs before being relieved by Ben McClarey in the fifth inning.

The Irish broke the game open in the fifth with six runs, jumping out to a 12-0 lead on the Panthers. Offense came from many places for the Irish as they compiled 15 hits, four of them from sophomore A.J. Pollock, who also drove in a run, tripled and crossed the plate five times. Sharpley held the Panthers in check as he completed five innings, allowing one hit, no runs and striking out three.

The Panthers got on the board in the seventh when outfielder Doug Dekoning walked, advanced on back-to-back ground outs and was driven in by Andy Gerhartz. The Panthers took advantage of inaccurate Irish pitcher Sam Elam in the ninth inning, scoring two runs without even recording a hit. Elam walked four batters and threw two wild pitches as Gerhartz and Dan Buchholz scored for the Panthers.

The Irish scored a run in both the seventh and eighth innings, making the final score 14-3. Panthers senior outfielder Nick Wichser recorded a hit in the sixth inning, extending his hit streak to 10 games. Herbert took the loss for the Panthers, his third of the season, and Sharpley recorded his first collegiate win for the Irish.

> Comments