LA CROSSE, Wis. – Senior
Nathan Mulzer (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the UW-Stevens Point baseball team (17-4, 9-0) completed a doubleheader sweep of UW-La Crosse (13-8, 5-3) at Copeland Park on Saturday.
Cole Erickson (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) struck out six in a 7-3 game one victory and Mulzer's career day was enough in a 4-3 game two victory. The victories run UWSP's winning streak to 12-straight.
Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) had a pair of hits in each game for the Pointers. He drove in three in game one and scored a run in each game.
Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) collected three hits in game one, including a bases-clearing triple to open the scoring for UWSP. He scored twice in game one as well.
Christian Zamudio (Kenosha, Wis. /Tremper) had two hits in each game. He scored three times and drove in a run on the day.
Game 1 – UWSP 7, UW-La Crosse 3
The Eagles scored on the second pitch of the game with a solo home run to left field for a 1-0 edge. UWL added two more runs in the fourth on a pair of walks and two doubles.
The Pointers got the offense rolling in the bottom of the fourth.
Ben Faga (La Crosse, Wis./Central) hit a one-out single and moved to third on a Zamudio hit. Will Iloncaie drew a walk to load the bases. With two away, Duddleston tripled to the right field corner to tie the game at 3-3. Stanicek followed with a single to put UWSP ahead. He then stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error for a 5-3 lead.
Zamudio led off the sixth with another single.
Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) singled to put two aboard. Duddleston hit a double, but the run was taken off the board on appeal. Stanicek followed and drove in a pair with a double of his own for the 7-3 lead.
Erickson went 7.0 innings to improve to 5-0 on the year. He struck out six and allowed just seven hits.
Drew Spaeth (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) worked the final 2.0 with a strikeout and just one hit allowed.
Game 2 – UWSP 4, UW-La Crosse 3
The Pointers broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Zamudio drew a base on balls with one down. Iloncaie singled and a fielder's choice with a throwing error allowed a run to score.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Neal Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville) drilled a double to left-center with one away. He scored on a Zamudio single. Iloncaie followed with a run-scoring double for a 3-0 lead.
The Eagles got on the board in the eighth. Three walks and two hit-by-pitches plated two for UWL.
In the Pointers' half of the eighth, Stanicek led off with a double and moved to third on a ground out.
Lucas Luedtke (River Falls, Wis./River Falls ) singled through the right side for a vital insurance run.
UW-La Crosse hit a solo home run on the first pitch of the ninth, but Spaeth retired the side for his third save of the season.
The Pointers and Eagles wrap up the four-game set on Sunday (April 22) with a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Copeland Park.
