Titans take a pair of conference games from Blue Devils

UW-Oshkosh 5, UW-Stout 3 | UW-Oshkosh 10, UW-Stout 3

WHITEWATER (April 13, 2019) - UW-Oshkosh came from behind in the first game and struck early in the second game to hand UW-Stout a pair of conference losses, the Blue Devils' first WIAC losses of the season, 5-3, 10-3, Saturday at Van Steenderen Complex.

The Blue Devils (13-10, 2-2 WIAC) struck early in game, just minutes after facing only three Titan (15-9, 4-2 WIAC) batters in the top of the first. With one out Stout's Kyncaide Diedrich doubled down the left field line, then came home when Jessica Daley singled to left field. Daley moved to second on the throw and advanced to third on Meghan Kelly's groundout. Daley came home when Alicia Meyer cracked out her team-best eighth double of the season.

Oshkosh got on the board in the third inning when Acacia Tupa doubled home Grace Stevens, who reached on a lead-off double, to cut the score in half, 2-1. Oshkosh took the lead, 3-2, in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Manthei and an RBI single by Tupa. Abby Menting's two-out home run in the fifth gave Oshkosh a 5-1 lead.

The Blue Devils got something going in the fifth inning when Mary Iliopoulos reached on a one-out single up the middle, stole second, moved to third on Diedrich's single and came home on a wild pitch. Stout did not allow an Oshkosh runner in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Blue Devils stranded one runner in each of the final two innings.  

Oshkosh put eight hits into the book, while Stout finished with seven. Diedrich was 3-for-4 and Iliopoulos 2-for-4. Tupa was 2-for-4 with two RBI for Oshkosh. Natalie Dudek was 2-for-3.

Stout never came close to leading in the second game, although they did put together a mini-rally late in the game. The Titans used four hits to punch out three runs in the top of the first, including a two-run double by Menting, added a single run in the second and in the fourth.

Stout got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Daley notched her first home run of the season and the third home run of her career. The Titans answered back in the fifth inning, getting three run with Tupa driving in a pair. Oshkosh chalked up two runs in the top of the seventh to make the score 10-1.

Stout scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Iliopoulos pushed Jessica Christiansen, who had reached on a fielder's choice, to second, with an infield single. Diedrich sliced a ball through the middle of the field, brining home Christiansen. Daley recorded her second RBI of the day when he single to right field scored Iliopoulos from second. But the game would end with two runners on base.

Oshkosh put down 17 hits in the game, while Stout recorded nine. Daley was 2-for-4 and Meyer, who hit her second double of the day in the second inning, was 2-for-3. For the Titans, Claire Petrus was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Tupa was 3-for-5 with two RBI. Menting was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Natalie Dudek and Manthei each had two hits. 

The Blue Devils are scheduled to play UW-Whitewater, Sunday, April 14 at approximately 1 p.m., following the conclusion of the Oshkosh/UW-River Falls contest. This weekend's games were originally scheduled to be played in Menomonie, but this week's April snowstorm left nearly a foot of snow on the ground in Menomonie and forced the move.