STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Senior
Will Iloncaie (East Troy, Wis./East Troy) hit his second home run of the game in the 12th inning as the UW-Stevens Point baseball team (14-14, 6-8) rallied for an 8-7 comeback win in the series finale against UW-Platteville (12-15, 7-7). The Pointers dropped game one on Saturday by an 11-4 score.
Iloncaie had three hits in game two, including two solo home runs.
Aaron Simmons (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) and
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) each had four hits on the day for the Pointers. Nelson drove in two runs and scored three runs. Simons scored a run in each game for UWSP.
Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) had three hits and drove in five runs. He homered in game one and had a pair of RBI hits in game two.
Game 1 – UWSP 4, UWP 11
The Pioneers scored a first inning run without a hit to take a 1-0 lead. Four walks led to the run and UWP left the bases loaded.
In the fifth, the Pioneers piled on eight runs on just three hits, but one was a grand slam, as UWP pulled ahead, 9-0.
Nate Jackan (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth. A passed ball and a wild pitch moved him to third with two away. An error by the Pioneers allowed Jackan to score as the Pointers got on the board.
The Pioneers added two more runs in the eighth without a hit. Two hit by pitches, a walk and a sac fly contributed to the two-run inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Simmons doubled to begin the frame. Nelson drew a walk and Comer drilled the first pitch out to left for a three-run home run as UWSP got to within 11-4.
Game 2 – UWSP 8, UWP 7 (12)
UWP took a 3-0 lead in the second inning, again without a hit. Two walks and a hit batter coupled with an error put three runs across.
In the third, a two-run home run with two outs pushed the lead to 5-0 for the Pioneers.
The Pointers got on the board in the bottom of the frame. Simmons doubled with two outs. Nelson singled to send the first run home. Comer followed with a double to plate another run and make it 5-2.
Iloncaie homered in the sixth, a solo shot to left with two away to pull the Pointers within two at 5-3.
UWP added single tallies in the seventh and the eighth to extend the lead to 7-3. In the bottom of the eighth, Comer reached on an error to begin the frame. After
Weston Nelson (Sheboygan, Wis./North) got aboard with a single, both runners moved up two bases on a failed pickoff attempt.
In the bottom of the ninth,
Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon) was hit by a pitch with one away. He moved to second on a wild pitch, but UWSP was down to its final strike, trailing 7-4.
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) ripped a double to right-center to plate Mrozinski. Comer singled to pull the Pointers within one. Pinch runner
Brett Nelson (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity) circled the bases on a double by Iloncaie to tie the game and send it to extras.
Reliever
Matthew Morgan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) held the Pioneers to just one hit and struck out eight over 4.0 innings to keep the game tied into the bottom of the 12th. Iloncaie capped a memorable Senior Day with a walk-off home run on the fourth pitch to lead off the inning and give the Pointers the win.
The Pointers travel to UW-Oshkosh on Tuesday (April 23) to close out the season series against the Titans. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
