UWM Baseball Aims for Another NCAA Tournament Victory Against Central Florida

The UW-Milwaukee baseball team finds itself in an exciting position as it gears up for its next challenge in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers will take on Central Florida on May 30 at 7 p.m. CT at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama, seeking to build on their remarkable recent success. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

UWM, currently on an impressive eight-game winning streak, is competing in the winners bracket of the double-elimination regional after a stunning 13-8 victory over top-seeded Auburn on May 29. This triumph marks the Panthers’ first NCAA Tournament win in 27 years and underscores their resilience.

The team earned their place in the tournament by clinching the Horizon League championship, highlighted by a dramatic walk-off home run from Joey Spence, a standout from West Bend East. The excitement surrounding this victory has resonated beyond the campus, even catching the attention of Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

Coach Shaun Wegner is keen to harness this momentum and elevate the program’s profile. "It's a story that hopefully on the national stage now people are becoming aware of it," Wegner said in a conversation with ESPN Madison. He added, "We just want to do what's best for not only our athletic department and our program, but we do want to be known as Wisconsin's baseball team." Wegner’s vision reflects the blue-collar identity that represents both the university and the state.