DAVENPORT, Fla. – The No. 3 UW-Stevens Point baseball team (3-2) dropped its second-straight game despite six shutout innings by starter
Tyler Beyer (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) in a 7-0 loss to Bethel (8-2) on Friday.
Beyer scattered seven hits and escaped a base-loaded jam in the fifth to keep the game scoreless heading to the seventh. A usually dominant bullpen by the Pointers faltered.
UWSP's offense was also stagnant on Friday mustering just five hits.
Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) went 3-for-4 to lead the offense.
Comer recorded his first hit, a single to left, to begin the second inning. He moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt, but was stranded there.
Comer reached again with a two-out single in the fourth. In the sixth,
Matt Baumann (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower) drew a one-out walk. Both remained at first as the respective innings ended.
In the seventh,
Logan Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville) hit a one-out single, but was picked off on the next pitch.
Kyle Finger (Clintonville, Wis./Clintonville) was hit by a pitch and
Quin Henwood (Appleton, Wis./North) singled up the middle. Again the runners were stranded as the game remained scoreless at the seventh-inning stretch.
Four walks and two singles in the bottom of the seventh gave Bethel a 5-0 lead. The Royals added two more in the eighth on three hits and two more walks for the 7-0 lead.
UWSP put up a mild rally in the ninth.
Anthony Tomczak (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) drew a leadoff walk. Comer hit a single through the left side to put two aboard. A double play preceded a walk by Finger as UWSP left two on base as the game ended.
Joe Schneider (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) made his UWSP debut pitching 0.2 innings in relief. He struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches.
Tyler Soule (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) also made his Pointers debut with a pinch hit appearance in the ninth.
The Pointers return to action with two games on Saturday (March 18). UWSP faces Roger Williams at 9:00 a.m. ET and Southern Maine at 12:30 p.m. ET.