STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point baseball team (8-4) hit three home runs and scored 29 total runs in a pair of seven-inning run-rule wins over Marian (7-9) in UWSP's home opener on Saturday. The Pointers took game one, 16-5, before finishing the sweep with a 13-3 victory in game two.
 
Trent Van Ess (Two Rivers, Wis./Two Rivers) clubbed a grand slam and drove in five runs in game one. He had another hit and scored twice in game two.
 
Connor Olson (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) blasted his first career home run in game two, a three-run shot. It was one of three hits on the day. Matt Baumann (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower) hit the other UWSP home run on the day, a solo shot in game two. He had two hits in each game, drove in three and scored four runs on the day.
 
Logan Homolka (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) and Nick Argersinger (Bristol, Wis./Westosha Central) had three hits each. Homolka scored a run in each game. Argersinger drove in two in game two.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 16, Marian 5 (7)
The Sabres scored two runs in the top of the first on three hits, but left the bases loaded with just a 2-0 lead.
 
The Pointers got a leadoff double from Baumann in the bottom of the first. Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) was hit by a pitch. Anthony Tomczak (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) drew a walk to load the bases. Van Ess was hit by a pitch pushing home the first run. A second run scored as Marian turned a double play.
 
Van Ess was hit by a pitch again in the third inning with two away. He stole second and scored on a single by Kamden Oliver (Viroqua, Wis./Viroqua).
 
The Sabres regained the lead in the fourth inning with three runs on four hits.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, UWSP scored four times without the benefit of a hit. Tino Ramirez (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) drew a one-out walk. Jackson Adams (Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig) was hit by a pitch and Baumann walked to load the bases. An error allowed two runs to score, tying the game at 5-5. With two away, another error plated two more UWSP runs for a 7-5 lead.
 
Olson started the fifth with a single. Homolka followed with a single, but stumbled rounding first and was thrown out attempting to get to second. Ramirez drew a walk and stole second. Adams hit a sac fly to score the first of the inning. Baumann, Comer and Tomczak drew three-straight bases on balls to push home another run. Van Ess then cleared the bases with a grand slam for a 13-5 lead.
 
Homolka singled with one down in the sixth. Ramirez drew another walk and an error loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored one run. Baumann then singled pushing in two more runs to complete the scoring.
 
Casey Pickering (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) went 4.0 in the start to pick up the win. He struck out two. Nick Paulsen (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity) went 2.1 in relief with three strikeouts. Mitchell Crawley (Wind Lake, WIs./Muskego) retired both batters he faced in the seventh.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 13, Marian 3 (7)
Baumann led off with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Comer singled as did Tomczak and Van Ess drew a walk to load the bases. A fielder's choice allowed a run to scored. Olson then launched a three-run home run to give UWSP a 5-0 advantage after one.
 
Tyler Soule (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) worked a walk to start the third. He moved to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch. Argersinger drove him in with a single and a 6-0 lead.
 
Marian scored two runs in the fifth on three hits to cut UWSP's lead to 6-2.
 
Van Ess singled to start the bottom of the fifth. He stole second and moved to third on a single by Homolka. A wild pitch scored Van Ess. Olson singled to drive in another run. Argersinger singled to put runners on the corners and a failed double steal allowed another run to come home for a 9-2 lead. Oliver and Baumann drew walks and Comer singled to make it 10-2.
 
Van Ess and Soule drew back-to-back walks to begin the sixth. Landon Parlier (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) recorded his first career hit with a single to load the bases. Argersinger drove in a run with a fielder's choice and a balk allowed the final run to score.
 
Kenny Schultz (Plover, Wis./SPASH) struck out four over 4.2 in the start to earn the win. Steven Wintheiser (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) and Joe Schneider (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) each had a strikeout while working 1.0 innings apiece.
  
The Pointers will open conference play at home on Saturday (April 6) with a twin bill against UW-Eau Claire beginning at 12:00 p.m.