April 13, 2008

Final Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

CHICAGO, Ill. - Cleveland State slipped to 1-7 in one-run games as Milwaukee handed the Vikings a 6-5 loss in the final game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at UIC's Les Miller Field.

UWM won the series, 2-1, which was moved to Chicago due to inclement weather in the Milwaukee area. The Panthers improved to 9-21 overall and 4-5 in league play, while CSU fell to 12-14 overall and 4-5 in the Horizon League.

"It was a disappointing weekend," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "We have been involved in so many one run games this season and hopefully we can learn and grow from them. But we are lacking that killer instinct right how and need to learn how to close teams out when we have a chance."

Adam Heideman finished a solid weekend at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Bobby Cash went 2-for-4 with an RBI this afternoon. John Foco also drove in a run for the Vikings.

Sam Suitca started and went 6.1 innings, giving up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits. He fell to 1-5 this season. Drew Fronczek worked the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a hit.

The Vikings put two runs on the board in the first as Brad Buell led off the game with a walk and Alex Kerins followed with a single. The duo then executed a double steal with Buell coming in to score on an error by the Panthers catcher. Kerins came in with CSU's second run on a two-out RBI single by Heideman.

UWM responded in the home half of the first using three consecutive one-out hits, including an RBI single by Troy Vesling.

CSU came right back with a run in the second as Travis Miller led off with a single, moved to second on a balk and scored on an RBI double by Cash.

It stayed that way until the third when UWM plated three runs, including two unearned runs on a CSU error, to take a 4-3 lead. It appeared Suitca and the Vikings were going to get out of the inning, but a fielding error by shortstop Tom Carter allowed the Panthers to extend the inning and score two more runs.

"We need to get better defensively," Kocks said. "We can't afford to give teams extra at-bats and allow them to take advantage of our miscues."

The Vikings came back to knot the game at 5-5 in the fifth as Josh Geric and Heideman drew back-to-back one out walks. They each advanced a base when Foco laid down a sacrifice bunt with Geric coming in to score on an error.

Jesse Hart gave the Panthers the lead for good with a two-run double in the seventh. The Vikings added a single tally in the eighth on a Foco RBI single, but could not score the tying run.

Hart finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Vesling also drove in a pair of runs.

Starter Jordan Herbert threw five innings for Milwaukee, giving up four runs, two earned, on seven hits, while striking out three. Adam Ferrell earned the win with four innings of relief. He gave up just one run on two hits and fanned three while improving to 2-3 this season.

CSU will return to action on Tuesday (April 15) when the Vikings host Kent State at 6:00 p.m. at the Pipe Yard. CSU dropped a 9-7 contest at Kent on March 26.