LA CROSSE, Wis. – The No. 15 UW-Stevens Point baseball team (32-13) came back from a five-run deficit to lead until No. 13 UW-La Crosse scored four times late as UWSP fell by a 10-7 final in the NCAA Tournament Super Regional opener on Friday.
 
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) had three hits, including his team-leading 14th home run of the year. It was his fourth home run in the last three games. He also doubled and finished a triple shy of a cycle. Nelson drove in four and
 
Jakob Boos (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) was just a home run shy of the cycle with three hits and two RBI in the game. Logan Homolka (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) also had three hits on the day, scoring two runs for UWSP.
 
The Pointers fell behind early as the first pitch of the game went over the fence. Two more hits in the inning game UWL a 2-0 lead before the Pointers came to bat.
 
Nelson doubled in the bottom of the first and remained at second as the inning ended. The Eagles turned three more hits and a walk into three runs to put UWSP behind 5-0.
 
Kamden Oliver (Viroqua, Wis./Viroqua) drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second. Anthony Tomczak (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) singled and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners. Trent Van Ess (Two Rivers, Wis./Two Rivers) reached on an infield single to push home a run. Two batters later, Boos tripled to right-center to make it 5-3. Nelson singled to plate Boos to get UWSP within 5-4 after two innings.
 
UWL hit another leadoff home run in the third for a 6-4 lead.
 
Homolka doubled to begin the fourth. With one out, Logan Matson (Neillsville, Wis./Neillsville) was hit by a pitch. Then with two away, Nelson crushed a three-run home run to left to put UWSP in front, 7-6.
 
The lead held up until the eighth. An error put UWL's leadoff hitter aboard. With two away, a pinch-hit two run home run gave the Eagles the lead at 8-7.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Homolka reach on a single to begin the inning. Boos doubled with two away to put two runners in scoring position. After an intentional walk to Nelson, a popup left the base loaded to end the inning.
 
The Eagles turned three hits and two errors into two more runs in the ninth. UWSP went in order in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Casey Pickering (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) had two strikeouts in 2.0 innings. Tyler Beyer (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) went 2.1 in relief. Mason Weckler (Belvidere, Ill./North) struck out four in 3.1 frames. Austin Syvertson (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) made his 66th career appearance, one shy of tying the school record. Sidney Ferry (Paw Paw, Mich./Homeschooled) had two strikeouts in the ninth.
 
The Pointers will face UWL at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday (May 27) in game two of the Super Regionals. If UWSP wins, a decisive game three will begin approximately 45 minutes afterwards.