Blue Devils down Northland in home opener, 4-3

UW-Stout 4, Northland College 3 | Photo Gallery

MENOMONIE (March 24, 2015) - UW-Stout scored four runs in the bottom of the second, then hung on to survive a crazy ninth inning to take a 4-3 win over Northland College in the Blue Devils' home opener Tuesday at Nelson Field.

The Blue Devils (9-2) took advantage of three Northland errors in the second inning. Stout took advantage of a double steal in when Tyler Nalbach (Fr, Plover) stole second and Josh Halling (Jr, River Falls) came home on the play. Nalbach was moved by Noah Brown 's (So, Forest Lake, Minn) single, then was brought home when big brother Nick Nalbach (Sr, Plover) singled to right field. Brown would score when Nick Nalbach was thrown out attempting to steal second and Brady Burzynski (Jr, Eau Claire) drove in Kasey Kruse (Sr, Menomonie), who walked, for what would prove to be Stout's final run of the game.

Meanwhile, pitcher Drew Worth (Fr, Brown Deer) allowed only one hit with two strikeouts in six innings of work and let his defense go to work for him. Worth walked four batters, but three times, Stout turned double plays to eliminate any Lumberjack (4-11) threat.

But the Lumberjacks managed to keep Stout from scoring the rest of the way as their defense also turned a pair of double plays. The Blue Devils also stranded eight runners throughout the afternoon.

Northland broke up the shutout in the ninth inning when, following a walk and a strikeout, Matt Lennon laced the only extra base hit of the game, a dboule to center field, putting runners on second and third. A walk loaded the bases. A ground out brought in a run and a passed ball on a third strike followed by a throwing error brought in two runs, making it 4-3. Pitcher Nick Garlick (So, Wheaton, Ill) got the final out, a deep ground ball to shortstop that Nick Nalbach gobbled up and made the throw to preserve the win.

Burzynski was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base. But Burzynski's stolen base streak was ended at 15 consecutive stolen bases when he was tossed out in the seventh inning. Brown was 2-for-3 and Nick Nalbach was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Lennon led Northland at the plate, going 2-for-4.

The March 24 date could very well be the earliest home game for the Blue Devils. Stout is off until they begin conference play, Thursday, April 2 and Friday, April 3 at UW-Stevens Point.