April 19, 2008

Game 1 Stats

Game 2 Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

LORAIN, Ohio - Josh Hungerman worked 8.2 innings and Adam Heideman went 3-for-4 with a homerun and three RBI to lead Cleveland State to a 7-4 victory over Milwaukee in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader at The Pipe Yard.

Milwaukee used a solid pitching performance by Andy Hetebrueg to win the nightcap, 4-3. It dropped CSU to 1-9 in one-run games this season.

The Vikings are now 13-18 overall and 5-6 in the Horizon League, while Milwaukee, which won three of five from CSU this season, is 12-22 overall (5-6 HL).

"I was pleased with the effort we responded with today," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "We were mentally tough and came out and had fun today. There is a lot of potential on this team, but we just need to maintain our focus and stay mentally tough.

"It hurts to lose another one-run ballgame, but we got two outstanding performances on the mound and some timely hitting in game one. We had four errors that cost us in the second game."

In the opener, Hungerman pitched 8.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, while fanning eight. Drew Fronczek was called upon to get the last out with the bases loaded.

CSU got on the board in the third on an RBI single by Kyle Bischof. The Vikings added two more runs in the fifth as Tom Carter and Roger Prettyman opened the inning with consecutive singles. Brad Buell sacrificed the duo over and Heideman came through with a two-out, two-run single.

After UWM plated a run in the sixth to cut its deficit to 3-1, the Vikings responded with two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

Alex Kerins had a two-run single in the sixth, while Heideman led off the seventh with a solo homerun, his second of the season.

Milwaukee made things interesting in the ninth, using five singles, including a two-run hit by John Sarcia, to cut the CSU lead to 7-4. However, Fronczek got Jesse Hart to groundout to second base to end the game.

Hungerman improved to 3-2 this season, while Brad Lusti (2-3) took the loss. He went six innings, surrendering seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits.

The Panthers came back quickly in game two, using a pair of Viking errors to score two unearned runs in the first inning off CSU starter Brian Long. An RBI single by Josh Groves in the third extended UWM's lead to 3-0.

CSU sliced its deficit to 3-1 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Travis Miller. However, the Panthers got the run right back in the sixth as Shawn Wozniak, Groves and Ben Long pieced togehter three consecutive singles to lead off the inning.

It remained 4-1 until the eighth when Buell delivered a two-run homerun to right centerfield that also scored David Hurd who led off the inning with a pinch-hit walk.

After Long retired UWM in order in the ninth, the Vikings put together a rally in the ninth as John Brown belted a one-out double and moved to third on a groundout by Carter. However, Panther closer Adam Ferrell retired Hurd on a sharp grounder to third to end the game.

Long threw his second complete game of the season. He gave up four runs (two earned) on 10 hits and struck out eight. He is now 3-3 this season.

Hetebrueg lasted eight innings, giving up three runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts to improve to 2-6. Ferrell worked a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Heideman finished the twinbill 4-for-7 with a run and three RBI, while Cash went 3-for-4 with a run in game two.

The Vikings are slated to return to action on Sunday (April 20) when CSU hosts Butler for a doubleheader at The Pipe Yard. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.