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Pointers and
Titans Exchange One-Run Battles
After UW-Stevens Point edged UW-Oshkosh 6-5 in an
intense opening game, it was hard to believe the second game of Saturday�s
baseball doubleheader at University Field would have more to offer.
However, the excitement of the nightcap managed to
surpass the opener as the Titans held off a furious Pointers� rally for a
14-13 win in 11 innings to capture their 28th Wisconsin Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference title and first since 1999.
UW-Stevens Point still had title hopes entering
the day, but will now play for the second seed in the upcoming WIAC
tournament after dropping to 20-13 overall and 12-5 in the WIAC. UW-Oshkosh
is 25-7 overall and 19-3 in the league.
The Pointers scored all six runs and had six of
their eight hits in the first two innings of the opening game before hanging
on until the final out. Brandon Scheidler hit a two-run single and Justin
Bushong had a run-scoring double in a three-run first inning and the
Pointers added three unearned runs in the second.
UW-Stevens Point pitcher Jordan Zimmermann allowed
four runs over the first four innings, but then settled in and retired 10
straight batters until being chased after a leadoff single in the eighth.
Zimmermann finished with 11 strikeouts and no walks over seven innings to
improve to 5-0 for the season.
Matt Mehne forced the Titans into an inning-ending
double play in the eighth and worked out of a ninth inning jam for his
fourth save. Following a solo homer by Bryan Schwebke that cut the lead to
6-5 in the ninth, Brad Demmin singled, but was stranded at second to end the
game. Demmin finished the game four-for-five with a home run.
The Pointers appeared to be in control of the
second game with a 5-1 lead in the sixth and Mike Thrun cruising along on
the mound. Adam Evanoff hit a three-run homer in the first and a Titans�
error led to two runs in the fourth. However, UW-Oshkosh struck for four
runs after two outs and nobody on base in the sixth, taking advantage of two
Pointers� errors to tie the game.
Stewart Larsen broke the tie with a three-run
homer off Titans� ace reliever Brian Gerl in the seventh, but UW-Oshkosh
responded in the eighth when Mike Waupoose launched a pinch-hit grand slam
for a 9-8 lead. The Pointers forced extra innings as Zimmermann blasted a
solo home run deep to left field with one out in the ninth.
UW-Oshkosh capitalized on two more UW-Stevens
Point errors in the 11th and took the lead on a run-scoring single by Mickey
Fadness before breaking out for five runs in the inning.
The Pointers responded with four runs in the
bottom of the frame. Evanoff homered to lead off the inning, Bushong had a
run-scoring infield single and Brad Archambeau delivered a two-run double to
put runners at second and third. However, Gerl forced a groundout to end the
three-hour, 16-minute game.
UW-Stevens Point had 19 runs and scored eight runs
in six innings off Gerl, who had only allowed four earned runs in 39 and
two-thirds innings this season. Archambeau was four-for-seven, while Bushong
was three-for-seven and Zimmermann was three-for-six. Six of UW-Oshkosh�s 14
runs were unearned as the Pointers had five errors. |
