STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team overcame an eight-run deficit to beat Ripon College 14-11 in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader, and then three different Pointers crushed home runs to cruise to a 15-5 win in the second game.

Game 1

The Red Hawks (14-10) put six runs on the board in a first inning highlighted by Nick Schmitt's grand slam.

Ripon added two more runs in the second inning, but the Pointers (20-7) stormed back with a five-run third inning.

Clint Rose (Watertown, WI/Watertown), Dan Douglas (East Troy, WI/East Troy) and Ryan Schilter (West Bend, WI/West) began the third inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Sean Gerber (Stoughton, WI/Stoughton) put UWSP on the board with an RBI single and Casey Barnes (Mequon, WI/Homestead) followed with a two-RBI double.

The ensuing batter Riley Spetz (Sturgeon Bay, WI/Sevastopol) doubled to straightaway center field, scoring two runs and bringing the Pointers to within 8-5.

The teams exchanged one run apiece in the fourth inning, but Douglas led off the seventh inning with a solo home run and Gerber's two-run shot in the frame tied the game 9-9.

The Red Hawks posted two runs in the eighth inning, but singles by Schilter and Douglas followed by a Jimmy Coady (La Crosse, WI/Aquinas) walk loaded the bases for Gerber in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Gerber came through in the clutch once again, clearing the bases with a double to right-center field and putting the Pointers ahead 12-11.

Barnes singled after Gerber's double, and a Ripon error allowed both Pointers to score and seal the 14-11 win.

Gerber has hit six home runs in his last eight games and leads the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with nine long balls.

Game 2

UWSP scored six runs in the first inning and piled on 17 total hits, including seven for extra bases.

Douglas began the first inning with a single and Schilter immediately followed with a two-run home run.

Gerber then doubled and scored on a single hit by Coady to put UWSP ahead 3-0. Coady then stole second and moved to third on an error. Barnes grounded out to first base, allowing Coady to easily trot home.

Still in the first inning, Bryton Guckenberg (Trego, MT/Lincoln County) singled and Nick Douglas (East Troy, WI/East Troy) – in just his second at-bat of the season – clubbed a two-run home run over the left field fence.

Spetz belted a solo home run in the fourth inning, and then added a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning for the Pointers.

The UWSP bullpen allowed just two runs through four innings in relief of starting pitcher Ben Messenger (Green Bay, WI/Bay Port), who allowed three runs through five innings.

The Pointers next host UW-Superior at University Field on Saturday, April 27 beginning at 12 p.m.