UW-Stevens Point 3, UW-Stout 2 |
UW-Stevens Point 9, UW-Stout 6
STEVENS POINT (May 7, 2011) - UW-Stout matched nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point hit-for-hit, but still came out on the short end of both games in a doubleheader Saturday, 3-2, 9-6, at University Field.
The Blue Devils had seven hits, the same as the Pointers, in the first game, and out-hit the Pointers, 16-14, in the second game.
In the opener, both teams literally matched each other, each score a single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Stout scored in the fourth when
Matt Guida (So, Hawley, Minn) opened with a single, then moved to third on
Jon Schoch's (Jr, Chippewa Falls) double. Guida came home when
Ben Yaucher (Jr, Janesville) stroked a single to right field, but Schoch was thrown out at the plate attempting to score.
The Pointers returned the favor in the bottom of the inning when Jared Surman drove in a run. Stout took the lead back in the next inning when
Greg Smolinski (Sr, Menasha) doubled in
Brian Giebel (Sr, River Falls), who reached on an error, then stole second. But the Pointers' starting pitcher, Cody Koback knotted the score with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.
The teams played scoreless into the ninth inning when Stevens Point recorded the winning run.
Dan Britts (So, Nekoosa) went the distance for the Blue Devils, scattering seven hits and striking out five.
Stout had to play catch-up in the second game, and an eight-run deficit after two innings proved to be too much for the Blue Devils. Stout did put a single run on the board in the top of the third on an RBI by
Jesse Brockman (So, Eau Claire).
The Pointers put their final run on the board in the fifth inning and Stout started to make their move, scoring twice in both the sixth and seventh inning. Brandon O'Connell (Sr, Elk Mound) drove in a run in the sixth and Smolinski scored on a double play. Giebel and Brockman each drove in a run in the seventh inning. Yaucher drove in a run the eighth.
While Stout was starting to find their offense late in the game, pitcher
Tyler Hamann (So, Marathon) tossed the final 3.2 innings of the game, allowing no runs, one hit, no walks and one strike out. It was Hamann's second consecutive strong outing, coming off a 12-inning, complete game 1-0 loss at Hamline University earlier in the week.
Smolinski and Brockman were both 3-for-4, while O'Connell, Guida, Yaucher and
Jake Duske (Jr, Montrose, Minn) each had two hits.
Justin Jirschle led the Pointers, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Dan Douglas and Sean Gerber each had three hits, with Gerber driving in a pair of runs.
The games marked the end of the season for the Blue Devils. With the four game sweep, the Pointers earned the WIAC regular season championship and will host the WIAC tournament next weekend.
