STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point Baseball team (8-6, 0-2) fell behind early in both games and suffered a sweep at the hands of visiting UW-La Crosse (4-6, 2-0) in the Pointers' home and conference openers at University Field on Saturday. The Eagles scored 12 runs in each game to down UWSP 12-3 and 12-1, respectively.
Senior
Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) led the UWSP offense with three hits. He scored a run in game one.
Sophomore
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) homered and drove in three runs, one of two hits on the day. Fellow sophomore
Aaron Simmons (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) extended his hitting streak to 14 games with hit in game one, but was held without a hit in four at0bats in game two.
Game 1 – UWSP 3, UWL 12
UWL turned a pair of first inning walks into a run with a sac fly. Three more walks in the second allowed the Eagles to extend the lead to 3-0. In the third, it was a leadoff base on balls followed by a home run that put UWSP in a 5-0 hole.
The Eagles added a pair of unearned runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth on a home run.
In the bottom of the seventh, UWSP finally got on the board.
Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) led off with a double. Mrozinski was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Nelson belted a three-run shot to left-center to cut the deficit to 9-3.
UWL scored three times in the eighth on three hits to complete the scoring.
UWSP starter
Alex Stodola (Coleman, Wis./Coleman) lasted just 1.1 innings after issuing five walks. He did strike out two batters.
Max Herro (Dousman, Wis./Kettle Moraine) recorded three strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work in relief.
Game 2 – UWSP 1, UWL 12
The Eagles scored first in game two as well. A leadoff triple crossed the plate on a wild pitch to give UWL a 1-0 lead.
Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) began the second with a double. He moved to third on a single by
Nolan Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville).
Ryan Stanicek (Loves Park, Ill./Boylan Catholic) followed with a sac fly to tie the game at 1-1.
UWL added single tallies in the third and the fourth as UWSP starter
Carter Daniels (Montello, Wis./Montello) gave the Pointers a chance. He struck out six Eagles in 6.0 innings.
The Eagles put the game away with four runs in the eighth and five more in the ninth to complete the scoring.
The Pointers and Eagles close out the weekend series with a 12:00 p.m. twin bill at University Field on Sunday (March 31).
