April 29, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern dug itself an early three-run deficit and was never able to make it all the way back in falling to Milwaukee 7-2 Wednesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park.
The Panthers (19-19) got on the board right away in the first inning against Francis Brooke. Cole Kraft started the game with a double down the left field line and he'd later come in to score on a sacrifice fly. Dan Buchholz, who had four hits in the contest, later added an RBI single.
Milwaukee's lead would grow to 3-0 in the third on Doug DeKoning's fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to right.
But Northwestern (12-27) finally got its offense going as it began to chip away at the deficit. Kenneth Avila started the bottom of the third with a single up the middle. After advancing to second on a balk and to third on a flyout, Tommy Finn brought him home with a perfectly executed two-out bunt single down the third base line.
The Wildcats got within a run in the next inning. Chris Lashmet doubled with one away and he also advanced a base on Gabe Marshall's second balk in as many innings. Tony Vercelli would then bring the sophomore third baseman home with a solid single to left to make it 3-2.
However, that would be as close as NU would get. The Wildcats had a golden opportunity to tie the game or take the lead in the seventh as Lashmet started the frame with a single and Vercelli was hit by a pitch. A sac bunt by Paul Snieder moved both runners into scoring position with one away, but Northwestern was unable to convert.
Milwaukee would go on to tack on an unearned run in the top of the eighth and then three more with two outs in the ninth to account for the final margin.
Finn and Lashmet paced the Northwestern offense with two hits apiece.
The Wildcats return to action at 3 p.m. Friday when they open a three-game series against Illinois at Rocky Miller Park.