May 5, 2002

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Rob Erickson allowed just two hits in 5 2/3 innings of work and UWM took the lead for good with three runs in the fourth inning en route to a 5-3 win over Detroit and a sweep of a four-game Horizon League series Sunday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field, moving the Panthers into sole possession of first place in the Horizon League.

The Panthers (25-14, 12-4 Horizon) have now won a school-record 10 straight games and are now 13-1 at home this season. UWM has also beaten Detroit 16 straight times and has not lost a league series since 1999. UWM is one-game ahead of UIC (10-4) in league play. The two teams finish the regular season with a four-game series May 17-19 at Henry Aaron Field.

Erickson (2-1) walked four but struck out four and was charged with just one earned run. Cory Kleeba held the lead before Matt Freisleben recorded the final five outs for his league-leading 12th save, adding to his school record. In total, Panther pitchers allowed just three hits and two earned runs, lowering their team ERA to 3.94.

Dan Kardelis and Charlie Reschke had two hits apiece for the Panthers, while Ben Beno added a key two-out, two-run single in the fourth for UWM. The seven-through-nine spots in the Panther order accounted for five of UWM's seven hits and three of the team's four RBI.

Keith Astrauckas (2-4) allowed just one earned run in six innings of work but absorbed the loss. He allowed seven hits and four walks while striking out four.

John Vanden Berg started the third by reaching on an error before Dave Pudlosky drew a walk. After the next two men were retired, Kardelis drove in the first run with a bloop double down the right-field line before Beno drove in two more with a hard single to right-center.

In the fourth, Troy Doering led off with a double and eventually scored on an errant pickoff throw. Vanden Berg then tacked on another run by driving in David Michna with a double.

The Titans (10-28, 2-12) scored each of their three runs on ground-ball outs.

UWM returns to action Tuesday, playing a doubleheader at Iowa. League play for the Panthers resumes next Friday with the start of a four-game series at Youngstown State.