The pitching staff tied the school record for strike outs in a game with 15, a record set at Northern Iowa in 2003.

Senior second baseman Jesse Hart hit two home runs in back-to-back at bats in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team could only split the two games resulting in a series loss after dropping the first game on Friday to Valparaiso.

It was a decent pitching battle through the first three innings in the first of two games on Saturday. The score was set at 2-1 after Hart hit his first of two homers, giving Milwaukee (16-29, 7-12 Horizon) the lead but that was just the start for UWM against Valparaiso (16-28, 7-9 Horizon).

The fourth inning broke wide open on a cold and windy day at Henry Aaron Field. It all started with a single by Shawn Wozniak before centerfielder Doug Dekoning launched a homer to dead center, driving in three runs.

Two batters later, Hart was at the plate and his walk-up song explains it all, “here comes the boom.” Two runs crossed the plate after his second home run of the day as the Panthers took an eight run lead after four innings, 9-1.

The Crusaders mounted a slight comeback off of Andy Hetebrueg in the seventh inning, knocking in four runs. Hetebrueg went 6 2/3 innings allowing six hits, four earned runs and striking out six. Craig Meier picked up the relief for 2 1/3 innings allowing only one hit and striking out two, as the Panthers took the game with a final score of 13-5.

Looking for a series win, the Panthers came out in game two a little sluggish. With a lineup switch the Panthers hot-hitter Hart was out but was replaced by Cole Kraft who had a double in his first at bat and an RBI single in the seventh.

Milwaukee used five pitchers in the second game, with each pitching only two innings except reliever Zach Hoch who finished out the ninth. The pitching staff tied the school record for strike outs in a game with 15, a record set at Northern Iowa in 2003.

Milwaukee pitchers allowed 20 runs and 17 hits but received little help from its defense as the Panthers committed five errors. Cuyler Franzke gave up seven runs in his first loss of his career while Tim Hoy, Matt Holzheuter and Brett Proud combined to allow 11 runs but struck out 12 batters.

On Friday, the Panthers strung together four runs through six innings to take 4-0 lead. Brad Lusti started on the mound and went seven solid innings before giving up three runs before recording an out in the seventh. Meier came in to relieve Lusti but recording only one out he allowed two unearned runs to cross. Adam Ferrell gave up the final two runs of the seventh inning, but closed out the ninth without a run.

Down by three runs in the bottom of the ninth, head coach Scott Doffek had the Panthers ready to mount a comeback. Dekoning started out the inning with a single, and an RBI fielder’s choice by Hart drove in Dekoning after he advanced on a throwing error. Nick Wichser grounded out to drive in another run, putting the tying run at the plate. With two outs Wozniak belted one to center field to end the game one run short of a victory, 7-6.

Milwaukee starts a big week with a doubleheader with Chicago St. at home on Tuesday followed by a trip to Northern Iowa on Wednesday and back-to-back doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday with UIC then Butler.

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