Live Blog: Baseball vs. Valparaiso

Good morning and welcome back to the Pipe Yard for today's Horizon League Tournament action. After yesterday's "debacle", UWM will have it's work cut out for it, as we will now need to win 5 straight games to claim the tourney crown.

Game 1 in that line will be against Valparaiso, a team that took 2 of 3 from Milwaukee during the regular season. The Crusaders lost to Cleveland State in the opener, and then got past Butler yesterday to get to this point...

If you have any questions today, send them my way at czills@uwm.edu...

We are about 35 minutes from first pitch and the line-ups are in.
Milwaukee is:
Cole Kraft (SS), Shaun Wegner (C), Josh Groves (DH), Dan Buchholz (1B), Tim Patzman (LF), Shawn Wozniak (RF), Doug Dekoning (CF), Paul Hoenecke (3B) and Andy Gerhartz (2B).

On the mound, RHP Brad Lusti, who is 4-4 with a 5.04 ERA through 12 starts in 2009.

Valparasio counters with:
Dan DeBruin (RF), Steven Scoby (LF), Matt Lenski (C), Josh Wallace (3B), Ryan O'Gara (1B), David Klein (DH), Andrew Quinnette (2B), Kyle Gaedele (CF) and Damon McCormick (SS).

On the mound, RHP John Snelton, 3-3 in 10 games with 6 starts.

For UWM game notes, click HERE.
For Valpo notes, click HERE.
For the Gametracker link, click HERE after first pitch.
Valpo also has a live broadcast, click HERE for that...
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Middle 1st:
An error followed by a sac bunt to start the game put a runner in scoring position, but Lusti gets a ground ball and can of corn to center to end the threat...

End 1st:
Two-out walk and a base hit by Buchholz sets up an RBI-single by Patzman to get the first run on the board. Wozniak follows with a single through the right side and it's 2-0.

Middle 2nd:
Three one-out singles loads the bases, but Lusti makes a great play on a high-hop comebacker off to the third base side of the mound and gets the force at home for out No. 2.

Unfortunately, DeBruin sends a little blooper into left that falls in front of Patzman and we are tied.

OK, not good at all. Scoby singles in two and Lenski adds another...
Three-straight two-out hits score all 5 runs... 5-2 all of a sudden.

Bottom 2nd:
Milwaukee responds with a little rally...
Hoenecke singles, Gerhartz gets plunked and Kraft knocked in a run...
Wegner walks and we have the bases loaded with no outs.

Pitching change ... stay tuned.

End 2nd:
UWM needed to respond to the 5-run outburst that Valpo had and did just that...
Groves, previously 0-for-3 with the bases loaded this season, deposited the first pitch he saw from new Crusader pitcher Justin Frane into left center for a 2-run single that ties the game.

Buchholz reaches on an error to load the bases. Patzman goes down swinging, but Wozniak's ground ball to first turns into disaster for Valpo as the shortstop drops the ball at second trying to turn a double play... 2 runs score and it's now 7-5 UWM.

What a complete turnaround. From potential disaster to impressive rally. Hoenecke adds another run-scoring double. Now, we can't take all of the credit, as the Crusaders have helped out with 2 errors, but what a rally!

Milwaukee sends 12 to the plate, getting 7 runs on 5 hits.
9-5, baby.

Middle 3rd:
Lusti comes back and gets a much-needed quick inning, stranding a two-out base hit.

End 3rd:
Quick inning for UWM, 1-2-3 it goes...

Middle 4th:
A couple of two-out hits puts runners on second and third and a ground ball to short eats up Kraft and a run scores. Oh man, bad time for the ejecto-mitts. The miscues get contagious as Gerhartz fails to field a routine ground ball and another scores....
9-7 at this point...

End 4th:
A leadoff infield hit off the bat of Buchholz gets stranded1-2-3 after...
1:21 for four innings. Hmmm.

Middle 5th:
Valpo gets a little something going, but Lusti gets a strikeout and a comebacker to strand two base runners.

End 5th:
1-2-3 go the Panthers in the fifth...

Middle 6th:
Two-out single tries to start something, but Hoenecke makes a nice back-handed play well down the 3B line and a strong throw gets the runner by a step and out of the inning.

End 6th:
Berry has really stymied the Panthers and has now retired 9 in a row...

Middle 7th:
Two quick outs and then Lusti hits the No. 9 batter with a pitch...
Now DeBruin gets his third hit of the game to put runners on the corners.
But, Gerhartz fields a routine ground ball and Valpo does not capitalize...
Time to stretch 'em out...

End 7th:
Patzman leads off with a double and UWM gets a big insurance run when Wozniak plates him with what was almost another double, but a great throw by Scoby in left gets Woz out at second base. 10-7 it is...

Middle 8th:
Lusti getting it done, as he records another 1-2-3 inning.

End 8th:
Well, after all of this, it's three outs to get and we stay alive...
UWM does strand two runners in the frame...

FINAL: UWM wins 10-7
Lusti guts it out and throws the complete game ... what an effort.

Box score and recap will be posted to the main site as soon as I can and we will be back at 2 p.m. CST for the next game against Cleveland State!!

Thanks for joining us and I hope you come right back for the next one.