Stout jumps out to early lead, hold off Salem State for sixth straight win

UW-Stout 9, Salem State 6

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 19, 2015) - UW-Stout put up nine runs over the first four innings, including a five run second inning, then hung on for a 9-6 win over Salem State University Thursday at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Baseball Classic.

The bottom three batters in the line-up chalked up at least one RBI in the contest and Nick Nalbach, batting in the ninth spot, put up another solid day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three runs batted in to lead the charge.

The Blue Devils (7-1), after giving up a run in the top of the second, took command in the bottom half of the stanza. Tyler Nalbach (Fr, Plover) hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Jake Lunow (Sr, Princeton), who reached on a lead-off walk, Noah Brown 's (So, Forest Lake, Minn) double drove in Josh Halling (Jr, River Falls). Nick Nalbach (Sr, Plover) traded spots with Brown, plating the first baseman with a double as Stout took a 3-1 lead. Kasey Kruse (Sr, Menomonie) reached on an error, and Nick Nalbach scored on the play. Brady Burzynski (Jr, Eau Claire) doubled home Kruse for the final run of the inning and Stout had a 5-1 lead.

Nick Nalbach hit a two run single in the third inning and Charlie Meyer (Sr, Janesville) hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and Stout held a 9-1 lead.

Drew Worth (Fr, Brown Deer), who worked his way out of a base-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth, gave up three runs in the fifth and gave way to Nick Garlick (So, Wheaton, Ill), who worked through the eighth inning, giving up only one hit and no runs.

Stout gave up two runs in the top of the ninth, and led 9-6 with no outs when Austin Booher (Jr, Stillwater, Minn) came on to earn his second save of the season, getting the first batter he faced on a strikeout, then forcing a double play ball to end the game.

Worth picked up his second win of the season, going 4.1 innings, scattering six hits, four runs, three walks and three strikeouts.

Meyer finished the game going 2-for-3 with two RBI. In addition to his two-run home run, Meyer also had a triple. Brown was 2-for-3 at the plate.

Salem State (4-5) outhit Stout, 10-9, but stranded 10 runners. The Vikings' Ryan Beliveau was 4-for-5 with two RBI and a double.

The 7-1 record matches Stout's best start since the 1997 season when the Blue Devils opened at 7-1. Stout is scheduled to play Johns Hopkins University, Friday, March 20 at 12 p.m. (ET).