HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Milwaukee Panthers dropped the third game of their three-game set with the Northern Kentucky Norse on Sunday afternoon by an 8-2 score at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
 
"Obviously it was an extremely difficult weekend," said head coach Scott Doffek. "Eliot Turnquist got the start and had a rough first three hitters but did a nice job, however, we spotted them three runs."
 
Despite outhitting its host by a 9-8 margin, the Panthers were unable to collect the timely hit with baserunners on as Milwaukee stranded eight baserunners on throughout the game.
 
"We had some quality at bats scattered throughout the game, but we did not stack them and certainly did not execute with guys on base," added Doffek. "I knew this was going to be a tough test for us at Northern Kentucky and unfortunately, we got exposed. We got outplayed in every aspect, and we were certainly outcoached."
 
Turnquist tossed 4 1/3 innings as he suffered his first loss of the season, while striking out a season-high five Norse. Johnny Kelliher walked one and struck out one over his 2/3 innings, while Sam Mathews added another scoreless inning.
 
Andy Neu had one fly ball out in his 1/3 inning of work, while Mike Sullivan ended the game with two strikeouts over the final inning of work for the Panthers.
 
Two players for Milwaukee had multi-hit games as Aaron Chapman and Mark Connelly led the way with two hits apiece. Nate DeYoung connected on his second home run of the season for the team's lone RBI on the afternoon. Connelly and Marcus Cline both had doubles on the day.
 
In the first inning, Chapman reached on a two-out single to give Milwaukee its first hit of the day, but the Panthers were unable to bring him in stranding the runner on first. The bottom of the inning saw the first two batters walk for the Norse before a three-run home run put NKU up by three heading to the second.
 
To open the second inning, DeYoung connected on his second home run of the year to put the Panthers on the board and pull Milwaukee back within a pair. Justin Hausser singled but was erased trying to stretch into a double, while Jack Thelen also singled but was left on base.
 
Turnquist allowed a leadoff double in the second and a one-out walk in the third but stranded the pair of Norse on base to keep the Panthers within two.
 
The first two batters reached in the top of the fourth for Milwaukee as Connelly singled and DeYoung reached on an error, but Northern Kentucky retired the next three to escape the inning.
 
The bottom of the fifth saw Northern Kentucky extend its lead to seven with a five-run frame as the Norse continued their offensive onslaught.
 
Both teams stranded a runner in the sixth inning before Milwaukee came back up to bat in the top of the seventh. After Tommy Benson walked and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Andrew Chapman advanced Benson with a groundout before Benson scored the second Panther run on a wild pitch.
 
Milwaukee got another two baserunners on in the eighth with a two-out double by Connelly and a walk by DeYoung, but the Norse escaped the threat with the third out of the inning via groundout.
 
Jake Novak pinch hitting to lead off the ninth tripled to rightfield, but the next three batters were retired in order, ending the game to give Northern Kentucky the 8-2 win.
 
After 17 consecutive games away from Wisconsin, the Panthers will make their long-awaited debut at home on Tuesday afternoon, when Milwaukee hosts the Concordia Wisconsin Falcons at 3 p.m. from Franklin Field in Franklin, Wisconsin.