AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team moved to 6-4 overall after their split with St. Thomas on Wednesday in Florida. The Pointers lost the first game 6-1 and won the second, 5-2.
Three Pointers recorded three hits during the twin bill. Junior
Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) posted three hits, two RBI and a stolen base. Sophomore
Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) also added three hits, along with one run, one double, and a stolen base. Duddleston went 2-for-3 during the first game.
Junior
Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) posted three hits in the second game of the doubleheader. He scored two runs, had a RBI, hit two doubles and belted a home run.
Game 1 – St. Thomas 6 , UWSP 1
UWSP held off the Tommies in the top of the first inning and went to work in the bottom. Peyton Nelson opened with a single and advanced to second on a single from Stanicek. Both base runners moved up on a passed ball. Two batters later,
Lucas Luedtke (River Falls, Wis./River Falls ) grounded out to second base to plate Nelson.
St. Thomas posted three hits in the top of the fourth and the sixth resulting in a 6-1 loss for the Pointers.
Nathan Mulzer (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) started and pitched 5.1 innings pitched with four strikeouts.
Beau Zeihen (Portage, Wis./Portage) struck out a pair in 1.2 relief innings.
Game Two – UWSP 5, St. Thomas 2
Duddleston opened the game with a single and moved to second on a ground out. Stanicek singled to put runners on the corners. Luedtke hit a sacrifice fly to center field to get the Pointers on the board.
The Tommies tied the game in the bottom of the third.
Mrozinski doubled to left with two down in the sixth.
Neal Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville) followed with a single to right center to bring in Mrozinski and put the Pointers up 2-1.
St. Thomas responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2.
Nelson doubled with two outs in the top of the seventh. Stanicek drove him in with a single for a 3-2 UWSP lead.
Mrozinski posted the only run of the eighth inning with a solo home run on an 0-2 count, his second long ball in as many days.
The Pointers closed the game with one run in the ninth inning sealing the game at 5-2. Will Iloncaie walked and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Duddleston. Stanicek reached first on an error with Iloncaie coming in to score.
Cole Erickson (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) pitched 8.0 innings allowing only four hits and two runs. He struck out nine batters.
Alex Stodola (Coleman, Wis./Coleman) came in to close the game in the ninth inning. He struck out three batters to conclude the game.
The Pointers take on Colby College on Thursday at Chain of Lakes Park Stadium. The first pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m.
