April 11, 2008

Game 1 Stats

Game 2 Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

CHICAGO, Ill. - Alex Kerins and Travis Miller drove in six runs apiece as the Vikings tied a school-record with 24 runs in a 24-18 victory over Milwaukee in the second game of a Horizon League doubleheader on Friday evening at UIC's Les Miller Field.

Milwaukee won the opener, 7-6, in the series that was moved from Milwaukee to Chicago due to inclement weather in the Milwaukee area.

CSU improved to 12-13 overall and 4-4 in league play, while Milwaukee is now 8-21 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

The 24 runs scored in the nightcap equaled the school-record set against Gannon in a 24-4 win on May 9, 1968.

Adam Heideman was a combined 4-for-9 with five runs scored and five RBI, while Alex Kerins drove in eight runs in the two games, including six in the nightcap. Travis Miller also drove in six runs in game two, four of which came on a grand slam.

"It was disappointing to lose the first game because we got out to such a big lead," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "We need to learn how to close games and put teams away. We had a great chance to get two wins today, but just couldn't close the deal. I was happy with the way we came back in game two and played baseball. We really swung the bats well and did what we had to do.

"But the biggest story of the day was the wind. There was a 30-mile-per-hour wind blowing straight out to centerfield, just like at the league championship last season. It made on the pitchers because routine flyballs were homeruns.

CSU took a quick 6-0 lead in the first game with five runs in the second and another tally in the fourth on a solo homer by Adam Heideman.

Josh Geric started things off with a solo homer to leadoff the second inning. Josh Hungerman followed with a single and was sacrificed to second by Bobby Cash. A double by John Foco moved Hungerman to third and both runners would come in to score on a single by Heideman. After Brad Buell was hit-by-a-pitch with two outs, Alex Kerins came through with a two-out, two-run double to extend CSU's lead to 5-0.

However, UWM began to chip away at its deficit, scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Jesse Hart and Wes Munson led off each inning with solo homers.

The Panthers added two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 6-6 and scored the game-winning run with no outs in the ninth.

Nick Wischer led off the ninth with a double and moved to third on a fielder's choice bunt by Troy Vesling put runners on the corners with no outs. Shawn Wozniak was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up a force out at any base, but Ben Long followed with single to plate the game-winning run.

Drew Fronczek (0-1) took the loss for CSU, going one inning and allowing one run on three hits. Starter Josh Hungerman lasted seven innings, giving up six runs on 12 hits with three strikeouts.

Craig Meier (3-2) worked 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Brad Lusti started the opener and went 7.2 innings. He gave up six runs on eight hits and recorded a no decision.

The nightcap featured 42 runs and 41 hits, including 22 by the Vikings, 13 doubles and four homeruns. Kerins, who tied a school-record with eight at-bats in game two, and Miller had four hits each. Buell and Foco registered three hits apiece.

Miller tied a school-record by scoring five times in the nighcap, while Buell also scored three runs and drove in another three.

A total of nine pitchers, four for CSU and five for Milwaukee, combined to throw 430 pitches, while walking 14 batters and hitting six. Anthony Sambula (2-0) picked up the win, while Andy Hetebrueg (1-6) took the loss.

CSU scored at least one run in every inning but the seventh, including eight in the fifth inning, when Miller delivered a grand slam and Kerins lashed a two-run double.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series with a 2:00 p.m. CST contest on Saturday (April 12) afternoon at UIC's Les Miller Field.