Menomonie, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team split a pair close games today against UW-Stout dropping the first game 3-2 (11 inn.) and winning 1-0.
UW-Stout 3 UW-Stevens Point 2
Both team's pitching staff dominated game one as both pitchers pitched nine plus innings allowing only a handful of runs each. Pointers' pitcher,
Mark Kowalke (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) pitched 10 strong innings, scattering nine hits, allowing two runs with four strike outs. Blue Devil's pitcher, Kellen Pearson pitched the full 11 innings, giving up seven hits, two runs, while also striking out four batters.
In the top of the third inning, the Pointers (8-12) put two runs on the board after a
Ray Greco (Downers Grove, IL/North) doubled, advancing
Clint Rose (Watertown, WI/Watertown) to third and eventually scoring on the same play after an error on the catcher. After the error,
Ben Gerber (Stoughton, WI/Stoughton) knocked in Gerber from third in the fielder's choice.
The Blue Devil's (9-9) tied the game up, 2-2, in the bottom of the fifth inning after Brady Brzynski flew out Gerber, scoring Hunter Discus on the sacrifice fly.
Both offenses were silent for fiving innings thereafter, as each pitcher handled each side, respectively. In the bottom of the 11
th inning, UW-Stout began the inning with a walk and pinch runner, Sorenson advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Pointers got the next out, but Nate Sorenson swiped third base giving the Blue Devils two opportunities to score. In their next at-bat, Tyler Kinderman hit a fly ball to center field, but
Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, IL/Boylan Catholic) was unable to come up with the throw scoring Sorenson for the game winner.
UW-Stevens Point 1 UW-Stout 0
Game two saw yet another pitching dominated game as both pitchers pitched a complete nine innings, but
Cole Erickson (Deerfield, WI/Deerfield) (2-2) came out on top pitching a complete game, giving up nine hits and struck out three.
All of the action didn't come until the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth inning, the Pointers rallied after two outs as
William Iloncaie (East Troy, WI/East Troy) reached on an error by the third baseman, advancing
Peter Strommen (Madison, WI/East) to third base after his base on balls.
Turner Doornink (Clintonville, WI/Clintonville) then singled scoring Strommen for the 1-0 lead.
The Blue Devils did all they could for another game winner with three hits in the inning, but none able to come up clutch as Jake Johnson ended the game on a 6-4-3 double play.
UWSP finishes the weekend series with the Blue Devils tomorrow, Sun., April 17. Game one of the doubleheader at Nelson field is set for 1 p.m.
