May 11, 1998

MILWAUKEE- Securing the No. 1 seed wasn't enough to keep the UWM baseball team from bowing out in the final game of the MCC Baseball Championship, held May 8-10 in Chicago.

UWM, which received a first-round bye, defeated No. 5 Cleveland State, 11-4, and then lost to No. 2 Butler in 13 innings, 5-4. That loss moved UWM into the losers' bracket of the double-elimination tournament. UWM defeated No. 3 Detroit, 6-1, but lost to Butler again, 6-2, on Sunday night.

The loss to Butler ended UWM's best season in history. The Panthers finished the season 33-15-1 and set school records for wins (33), winning percentage (.684) and in six offensive categories.

In the league's post-season awards, Steve Johnson (Appleton, WI-East) led four Panthers on the All-MCC first team. Johnson, a junior left fielder, won Newcomer of the Year honors and was also named to the All-MCC Newcomer team.

Joining Johnson on the All-MCC first team were senior first baseman Jeff Stoss (Waukesha, WI-South), junior third baseman Ken Poniewaz (West Allis, WI-Central) and senior pitcher Mike Casper (New Holstein, WI-New Holstein).

Senior catcher Lee Jaramillo (Racine, WI-Case), sophomore pitcher/designated hitter Chad Sadowski (Cudahy, WI-Cudahy) and sophomore center fielder Brett Huebner (Waukesha, WI-Wisconsin Lutheran) were All-MCC second team selections.

Huebner joined Johnson on the All-MCC Newcomer team.

Josh Justman (LaValle, WI-Weston,) a senior pitcher who went 7-1 and led the Panthers in strikeouts (46) and ERA (3.05), did not receive any all-conference honors.

Casper, Jaramillo, senior second baseman Greg Toll (Greenfield, WI-Milwaukee Pius XI) and senior right fielder Eric Lubarsky (Milwaukee, WI-Pius XI) were named to the All-Tournament team.