MAUSTON, Wis.  – The No. 25 UW-Stevens Point baseball team (18-8, 10-4) suffered a close 3-2 loss to No. 11 UW-Oshkosh Titans (20-5, 7-3) on Thursday in Mauston. Both teams put up runs early in the game and held each other scoreless after the fourth inning despite both teams having a plethora of hits. 

Junior Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) and freshman Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis. /West) each went 2-4 with one RBI. Will Iloncaie added a double and a run for the Pointers.

Drew Spaeth (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) started for the first time in his career and pitched a complete game. Despite the loss, Spaeth struck out eight and only walked one in 8.0 innings of work.   

Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) led off the game aggressively with a single down the right field line and then stole second. On a ground out, Stanicek advanced to third and scored on Mrozinski's RBI single to left field to put the Pointers up 1-0. UWSP closed the bottom of the inning with two strikeouts from Spaeth keeping the Titans scoreless in the first.  

UWO responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second on three-straight hits and a sac fly to put the Titans up, 2-1.

Will Iloncaie banged his seventh double of the season down the right field line in the top of the third. He advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a single from Nelson to tie the score, 2-2.

After holding the Pointers to a scoreless fourth inning, the Titans put up another run to take the lead.

Both teams shut down their opponent for the rest of the game and the Titans held on for a 3-2 win.

The Pointers host their home opener against Illinois Institute of Technology in a doubleheader this Saturday (April 28) at University Field. The first pitch is slated for 12:00 pm. The Pointers will be celebrating Senior Day between games.