Box Score

MOLINE, Ill. – The 20th-ranked UW-Stevens Point baseball team was down to its last strike in the top of the ninth, but rallied to tie it up. However, No. 19-ranked Augustana College scored a run in the bottom of the frame to prevail by a 4-3 score tonight in the NCAA Division III Central Regional at Swanson Stadium.

The Pointers fall to 1-1 in the regional and 29-15 overall. Stevens Point will now play Webster University, who fell today by a 2-0 score to Wartburg, tomorrow at noon in an elimination game. Augustana, the host of the regional, improves to 2-0 and 34-11 overall and will play the winner of Stevens Point and Wartburg contest tomorrow at 7 p.m.

It didn't take long for the Pointer to get on the scoreboard as Doug Coe (Appleton/North) (Sr.-Appleton/North) hit a RBI single in the bottom of the first to plate Brad Archambeau (Watertown/Watertown) (So.-Watertown) and make the score 1-0. However, Stevens Point would manage just two more hits until the ninth inning.

Stevens Point starting pitcher Joel Delorit (Sturgeon Bay/Southern Door) (Fr.-Sturgeon Bay/Southern Door) kept the Vikings in check as he allowed just two hits and struck out six through the first five innings. With the score still 1-0 Pointers in the sixth, Augustana finally got on the board as Eric Izzo had a two-out RBI single to tie it 1-1. Another two-out single in the bottom of the seventh gave the Vikings the lead when Myles Kurnick came around to score. Augustana added insurance in the eighth when with two outs and nobody on Eric Izzo got on base and eventually came around to score to make it 3-1.

In the top of the ninth, the first two Pointer hitters were retired. Justin Bushong (Rhinelander/Rhinelander) (Sr.-Rhinelander) started the rally with a walk. Brad Frank (Slinger/Slinger) (Sr.-Slinger) then was hit by a pitch. Tim Schlosser (Oconomowoc/Oconomowoc) (Sr.-Oconomowoc) followed with a RBI single to cut it to 3-2. Jared Surman (Kimberly/Kimberly) (Fr.-Kimberly) then came to the plate and was down to his last strike when he ripped a double to drive in Frank and tie the game at 3-3.

After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, Jeff Zielke (Watertown/Watertown) (Jr.-Watertown) sat down the next two batters. With two outs Marc Blakeley hit a fly ball that fell between everybody and the runner came all the way around from first to score as the Vikings prevailed 4-3.

Delorit went eight innings, struck out eight and allowed six hits in the no decision. Stevens Point managed just six hits on the night and Doug Coe (Appleton/North) had two of them as he was 2-for-4.

The Pointers will play at noon tomorrow against Webster University. If they win they will play against Augustana again at 7 p.m.