Martin threw seven strong innings against the DI Panthers
Milwaukee, Wis. – In a game that matched up Cardinal Stritch University and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, a NCAA DI team, the battle was much more than many expected. The Wolves saw strong pitching from their starter, Tyler Martin (Pekin, Ill.), and got a late inning surge from their offense, keeping them in the game until the very end. Stritch entered the eighth with a 6-6 tie, but weren’t able to hold the Panthers off. Unable to get the bats going, Stritch fell to UWM, 6-7.
The Wolves line-up wasn’t able to put anything together offensively until the fourth inning, but UWM got started in the second. Ben Long (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) led off with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a ground out. He was hit in by Paul Hoenecke (Kewaskum, Wis.) to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
UWM’s lead increased to 4-1 in the next two innings. The Panthers scattered two hits in both the third and the fourth but managed to bring runners in each time. The Wolves earned their first run of the game in the fourth when Jake Lark (Germantown, Wis.) led off with a walk. The junior then stole second and beat out a close throw at third on a bunt by Micah Thompson (North Prairie, Wis.). A grounder by Kyle Trewyn (Whitewater, Wis.) brought in the run for Stritch.
The Panthers scored again in the sixth, extending their lead to four. But the Wolves weren’t giving up, and they got a huge spark off the bench, as John Bahm (Justice, Ill.) replaced the designated hitter and led off the seventh with a line shot down the right field line. Kaleb Engelke (Mineral Point, Wis.) seemed a bit flustered, and hit the next batter, Dean Mlachnik (Muskego, Wis.), to give Stritch two base runners. Andy Abromaitis (Oak Creek, Wis.) then came up for the Wolves and hit a hard grounder that the third baseman couldn’t handle, allowing Bahm to score and putting both Mlachnik and Abromaitis in scoring position.
The troubles continued for UWM, as the Wolves didn’t record a hit after Bahm’s, but scored three runs after multiple hit batters. But the Panthers managed to get one of the runs back in the bottom of the seventh, using two consecutive singles by Sam Sivilotti (Glendale, Wis.) and Hoenocke and a grounder by Jonathon Capasso (Racine, Wis.) to establish a 6-4 lead.
It was Bahm again, that led off for the Wolves, this time sending a liner to left. A triple by Mlachnik, his ninth of the season, brought Bahm in to score. Abromaitis then came through with a single to score Mlachnik and tie the game 6-6, but the Wolves couldn’t keep the rally going to take the lead.
Martin hit the first batter in the eighth inning before being replaced with Lucas Simon (Fond du Lac, Wis.). Simon couldn’t find his control quickly enough however. He gave up a walk and a single that allowed UWM to take the lead once more. Troy Engibous (Muskego, Wis.) then entered the game for Stritch with runners on first and second. He spoiled the Panther’s attempt to advance the runners, getting a great jump on a bunt and earning the out at third. His efforts seemed futile as he walked the next batter to load the bases, but Engibous received a gift from his defense, as Tyler Henkel (Rhinelander, Wis.) fielded a grounder up the middle and the Wolves were able to turn two.
In the end, the Stritch offense wasn’t able to come back yet again and UWM earned the 7-6 win.
Long led the Panthers, going 4-5 with two RBI. Doug Dekoning (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), Sivilotti, and Hoenecke recorded two hits apiece.
Bahm came up huge for Stritch, going 2-2 with two runs scored. Abromaitis and Austin James (Milwaukee, Wis.) had two hits and a RBI each. Trewyn led the Wolves with two RBI.
The Wolves fall to 16-32 overall with the loss. Their next game is on Tuesday, May 4. Stritch will travel to Chicago, Ill. to face St. Xavier University in the first game of their final conference series.