STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team improved its winning streak to five games by sweeping conference foe UW-Platteville 9-2 and 3-2 on Friday afternoon at University Field.
UW-STevens Point 9 UW-Platteville 2
UW-Stevens Point (13-13, 5-5) used a six run sixth inning to take a 9-1 lead over UW-Platteville (13-14, 1-9) and never looked back en route to a 9-2 victory.
After the first two batters of the inning reached, Clint Rose (Watertown, WI/Watertown) drove in the first run of the inning on an RBI groundout. This was followed by RBI singles by Ben Gerber (Stoughton, WI/Stoughton) and Cody Hanke (Marathon, WI/Marathon). Turner Doornink (Clintonville, WI/Clintonville) led off the inning with a walk, and on his second time to the plate delivered a two run single to round up the scoring.
Mark Kowalke (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) pitched seven innings picking up the win, striking out five and allowing six hits. Drew Spaeth (Stratford, WI/Stratford) pitched the final two innings to close out the game.
Peter Strommen (Madison, WI/East) was 2-3 at the plate with one run and three RBIs, including a two-run single in the third inning. Gerber and William Iloncaie (East Troy, WI/East Troy) also had two hits apiece, with Hanke and Doornink each driving in two.
Colin Deboer and Max Meitzler each had two hits for Platteville.
UW-Stevens Point 3 UW-Platteville 2
Cody Hanke (Marathon, WI/Marathon) hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the third inning as the Pointers were able to hold off the Pioneers for a 3-2 win.
The Pointers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on consecutive singles by Ray Greco (Downers Grove, IL/North), Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, IL/Boylan Catholic) and Hanke to begin the game, and Stanicek later scoring on a groundout by Kyle Mzrozinski.
Platteville then tied the game in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Tanner Galeazzi and a hit by pitch by Max Meitzler.
Hanke then homered in the bottom of the third to give the Pointers lead.
Kody McHugh (Mosinee, WI/Mosinee) got the win in relief for the Pointers, pitching 2.2 innings with three strike outs. Andrew Holzli (Fort Atkinson, WI/Fort Atkinson) pitched 1.2 innings to pick up the save, including striking out the side on nine pitches in the ninth.
Colin Deboer was 3-5 with a run scored to lead the Pioneers. Meitzler and Galeazzi each had two hits and an RBI.
The Pointers and Pioneers are back in action tomorrow for a doubleheader at University Field with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.