Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The 11th-ranked UW-Stevens Point baseball team split a doubleheader with 15th-ranked Otterbein College, losing game one 2-0 and winning game two 7-5 on Friday.

The Pointers are 6-5 overall and finish with a 5-4 record down in Florida. Otterbein is now 1-2 to begin the season.

It was a pitchers' dual in game one of the doubleheader as the game remained scoreless until the top of the ninth inning. Stevens Point starter Travis Kempf (Kewaskum/Kewaskum) (Sr.-Kewaskum) pitched six scoreless innings, striking out two and allowing just three hits.

The Pointers had their chances as they stranded the bases loaded after grounding into a double play in the second inning. In the eighth inning, Otterbein got a leadoff double and then a single to put runners at the corners with no one out. However, Jeff Zielke (Watertown/Watertown) (Jr.-Watertown) got a groundout, an infield popup, and a fly out to get out of the jam.

In the bottom of the eighth, Stewart Larsen (Sturgeon Bay/Sturgeon Bay) (Sr.-Sturgeon Bay) got leadoff double, but the Pointers were unable to get him around to score as the game went to the ninth. In the top of the ninth, the Cardinals would get a run on a fielders' choice and then a second run on an error to make the score 2-0. Doug Coe (Appleton/North) (Sr.-Appleton/North) hit a double in the bottom of the ninth, but that is all Stevens Point got as the Cardinals won 2-0.

Jeff Zielke (Watertown/Watertown) got the loss for the Pointers. Stevens Point managed just four hits in the game.

In game two, Otterbein got a run in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. The Pointers got two runs in the top of the second as Brandon Scheidler (Chippewa Falls/McDonell) (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/McDonell) led off the inning with a double. Garett Bloom (Tomah/Tomah) (Jr.-Tomah) then hit a RBI single to knock in Scheidler. Then with two outs Brad Archambeau (Watertown/Watertown) (So.-Watertown) hit a RBI single to score Stewart Larsen (Sturgeon Bay/Sturgeon Bay) and give the Pointers a 2-1 lead.

A RBI single by the Cardinals tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Otterbein then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a ground out. Eric Fritz (Custer/SPASH) (Fr.-Custer/SPASH) hit a run-scoring single to plate Archambeau to tie the game again 3-3 in the fifth inning. The Cardinals regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 5-3.

The Pointers had one last chance in the top of the seventh. Archambeau singled and Fritz walked to leadoff the inning. After a failed sacrifice attempt, Doug Coe (Appleton/North) doubled down the left field line to drive in both Archambeau and Fritz to tie the game 5-5. An error followed to put runners at first and second. Justin Bushong (Rhinelander/Rhinelander) (Sr.-Rhinelander) then stepped to the plate and ripped a two-RBI double to give Stevens Point a 7-5 lead.

The Cardinals got a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, but Zielke sat down the next three batters as the Pointers won 7-5.

Scott Williams (Baraboo/Baraboo) (Fr.-Baraboo) recorded one out, but picked up his first collegiate win. Jeff Zielke (Watertown/Watertown) earned the save. Brad Archambeau (Watertown/Watertown) was 4-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.

The Pointers will return to Wisconsin to begin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) action next weekend when they host UW-La Crosse for doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Games are scheduled to begin at noon both days at University Field.