MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team (1-0) opened its season with a couple solid outings in a near sweep of St. Olaf (2-1) on Sunday. The Pointers won the opener, 3-1, and are ahead 9-6 heading to the bottom of the seventh in game two.
Junior
Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) went 2-for-2 in the opener with a run scored and a RBI. In game two, he scored twice, drew a walk and stole a base.
Freshmen
Bradley Hansen (Racine, Wis. /Union Grove),
Lucas Luedtke (River Falls, Wis./River Falls ),
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis. /West) and
Christian Zamudio (Kenosha, Wis. /Tremper) were major contributors in their collegiate debuts. Hansen belted a two-run home run in game two among his two hits, drew a walk and scored twice. Luedtke drove in two on a pair of hits and a walk in game two. Nelson had three hits on the day, scored three times and drove in another. Zamudio had a pair of hits and scored twice in game two.
Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) went 2-for-3 in game two with a pair of RBI and a run scored.
Game 1 – UWSP 3, St. Olaf 1
Nelson began the bottom of the fourth with a single to center, setting the table for the pivotal inning of the game. Stanicek followed with an RBI triple that hopped over the centerfielder's head to break a scoreless tie.
Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) followed with a single through the left side for a 2-0 UWSP lead.
The Oles got on the board in the fifth with three-consecutive two-out singles to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the sixth, Nelson again led off with a single and he moved to second on a wild pitch. Stanicek, Mrozinski and Will Iloncaie all were hit by a pitch to push across the third run of the game for the Pointers.
Drew Spaeth (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) came on in the seventh and faced the minimum for his first save of the season. Starter
Cole Erickson (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) pitched 6.0 innings in his season debut. He struck out four and scattered six hits.
Game 2 – UWSP 9, St. Olaf 6 (Game suspended in the middle of the seventh)
Stanicek drew a one-out walk and stole second in the top of the first. Two batters later, Luedtke singled to center to put UWSP on top, 1-0.
Freshman
Aaron Simmons (Franklin, Wis. /Franklin) singled to begin the second and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zamudio. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a Duddleston single for a 2-0 advantage.
In the third, St. Olaf benefitted from a pair of UWSP miscues to tie the game at 2-2.
The Pointers were retired on the first two pitches of the fourth inning, but Zamudio singled to keep the inning alive. Hansen followed and blasted a home run off the baggie in right for a 4-2 lead.
The Oles escaped a bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth and used the momentum in the bottom of the frame. Four singles and a UWSP error opened the door for a three-run inning as St. Olaf took a 5-4 lead.
Three-consecutive one-out hits, capped by an RBI double by Nelson, tied the game for the Pointers in the top of the sixth. After an Oles' pitching change, a St. Olaf error and passed ball scored two for UWSP. A wild pitch scored another and Luedtke drove in a run with a double for an 8-5 UWSP lead.
Two walks and three hits allowed the Oles to get a run back in the bottom of the sixth, but Spaeth came on and escaped the inning stranding the bases loaded.
Zamudio singled with one down in the seventh. Hansen drew a walk and both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Duddleston flew out to deep center for a sac fly and a RBI.
Due to time constraints on the field use, the game was suspended in the middle of the seventh. The game will be resumed at a later date, to be determined.
Nathan Mulzer (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) struck out seven in 4.0 innings in his first start of the season.
The Pointers will take a week and a half off before the annual spring trip to Auburndale, Fla. UWSP will play Western New England University on March 22 at 11:00 a.m. ET to begin the 8-day, 10-game Florida trip.
