Baseball Preview: Game with Eau Claire Saturday moved to River Falls

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THIS WEEK'S GAMES: UW-Stout's (1-3) home opener against UW-Eau Claire (0-4) Saturday, March 27 has been moved to First National Bank of River Falls Field in River Falls. The field is located at 600 Hanson Drive, River Falls, WI 54022. Stout will be the home team and first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

UW-Stout was scheduled to travel to UW-La Crosse, Tuesday, March 23, for a 1 p.m., non-conference doubleheader but that date has been changed to Thursday, March 25. Stout will host UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. at First National Bank of River Falls Field. Eau Claire dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season and 2021 marks the return of the varsity program. The teams have not played since May 2, 1995. The Blugolds did carry a club baseball team for several years before returning to varsity status this year.  The WIAC Specator Policy will apply. Always check with the home team on their current spectator policy.

Stout and La Crosse last faced each other during the 2019 season and the Eagles took three of the four meetings, of which none were in Menomonie. Stout was the home team April 16, 2019, when the teams met at La Crosse's Copeland Park. Winter weather forced the move to La Crosse. The Blue Devils won the first contest, 7-3, but La Crosse came back to win the nightcap, 9-0. The teams met again April 24, 2019, and weather forced the move from La Crosse to Mauston, where the Eagles swept Stout, 6-0, 16-7. 

The schedule for each of the teams in the WIAC in 2021 includes 28 conference games, as well as a "non-conference schedule" consisting of contests against only WIAC schools. The league has been separated into divisions, with Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse and UW-Platteville in the West Division and UW-Whitewater, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point and Finlandia in the East Division. The teams will play the schools in the same division in four doubleheaders, with two of the doubleheaders serving as non-conference contests. Two doubleheaders will serve as conference contests. The conference tournament has been expanded to six teams with the No. 3 thru No. 6 seeds participating in "play-in" games at the site of the higher seed on May 19. The winners of the single-elimination contests will join the No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed at the double-elimination finals in Whitewater May 21-22. 

 
2021 UW-Stout Baseball Schedule
Date / Opponent / Time or Result
Sat, Mar. 20 / at UW-Platteville / W 16-2 (7), L 11-6
Thur, Mar. 25 / at UW-La Crosse / L 11-5, L 6-1
Sat, Mar. 27 / UW-Eau Claire (at River Falls)  / 1 p.m. 
Wed, Mar. 31 / at UW-Stevens Point* / 1 p.m.
Fri, Apr. 2 / UW-Stevens Point* / 1 p.m.
Tues, Apr. 6 / at UW-Eau Claire* / 1 p.m.
Fri, Apr. 9 / UW-Eau Claire* / 1 p.m.
Sat, Apr. 10 / at UW-Eau Claire / 2:30 p.m.
Wed, Apr. 14 / at UW-Oshkosh* / 1 p.m.
Sat, Apr. 17 / UW-Oshkosh* / 1 p.m.
Tues, Apr. 20 / UW-La Crosse* / 1 p.m.
Fri, Apr. 23 / at UW-La Crosse* / 1 p.m.
Sat, Apr. 24 / UW-La Crosse / 1 p.m.
Wed, Apr. 28 / at UW-Whitewater* / 1 p.m.
Sat, May 1 / UW-Whitewater* / 1 p.m.
Tues, May 4 / UW-Platteville* / 1 p.m.
Fri, May 7 / at UW-Platteville* / 1 p.m.
Sat, May 8 / UW-Platteville / 1 p.m.
Fri, May 14 / Finlandia University* / 1 p.m.
Sat, May 15 / Finlandia University* / 1 p.m.


BLUE DEVIL OFFENSE: After only two games, the Blue Devils are led at the plate by Charlie Szykowny (.500, 4-8, 5 runs scored, 3 RBI, 2B, HR), Joel Thimsen (.444, 4-9, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 2B), Kasey Bass (.375, 3-8, 5 runs, 3 RBI, HR), Alex Jinkins (.333, 1-3, 2 runs, 6 BB, .778 on-base %), and Riley Boushack (.286, 2-7, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2B). Stout drew 20 walks against UW-Platteville last weekend, and gave up nine over the two games. | Statistics

BLUE DEVIL PITCHING: James Palmer picked up Stout's first win of the season, going six full innings, with nine strikeouts and no walks. Palmer is posting an ERA of 3.00, allowing two earned runs and scattering four hits. Cody Urban started Stout's second game and was saddled with the loss, allowing six earned runs on six hits. Alex Mahaz,  Luke Kallod, Alex Foxx and Bret Lechler all worked more than one inning on Saturday. Foss gave up no runs and one hit in relief of Palmer. 

UW-STOUT LAST TIME OUT VS. UW-LA CROSSE: UW-Stout took the early lead in both games of a non-conference doubleheader, but UW-La Crosse came back to take both wins 11-5, 6-1, Thursday, at Copeland Park. In the opener, UW-Stout scored four runs in the top of the first inning and held the Eagles (4-0) at bay until the home team launched 10 unanswered runs over three innings, starting with a five-run barrage in the third inning, followed by four in the fourth and a single run in the fifth. La Crosse made it 11-4 with a run in the seventh that the Blue Devils got back with a single run in the ninth on Riley Boushack's third RBI of the game. In the first inning, Alex Jinkins led off with a walk, then moved to third on Hunter Merrill's double to right center. Boushack plated both runners with a single through the right side. Charlie Szykowny moved Boushack to second with a single, then Boushack came home on Nolan Harke's single, putting Szykowny at third, who would eventually come home on a wild pitch. Ethan Kjellberg stranded three runners over the first two innings before he got in trouble in the third inning, giving up five earned runs. The Eagles finished the game with 18 hits off three Stout pitchers, while Stout finished with eight hits. Merrill, Boushack and Szykowny each finished with two hits apiece. Stout opened the scoring in the second game as well, taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning when the Blue Devils took advantage of a couple of Eagle mistakes. After Merrill reached on a walk, Joel Thimsen reached on an infield error, pushing Merrill to second. A balk advanced both runners and Merrill scored on Szykowny's ground out.  The Eagles scored three runs in the fourth and added two more runs in the sixth inning. Back-to-back wild pitches gave La Crosse a run in the eighth.  Brock Burg went 6.0 innings to take the loss, scattering six hits, five runs, four earned and recorded two strikeouts. Boushack was 2 for 4 in the second game to finish 4 for 7 on the day. | Game Story and Stats

UW-STOUT LAST TIME OUT VS. UW-PLATTEVILLE: UW-Stout exploded out of the gates in the first game of the season, downing UW-Platteville 16-2 in seven innings, but then could have used some of that first game fire power as the Pioneers turned the tables on the Blue Devils with an 11-6 win Saturday at Gus Thompson Field in Waupun. The Blue Devils (1-1) jumped all over the Pioneers early, running out to a 7-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and four in the second. Joel Thimsen played a role in all three of Stout's first inning runs. After Hunter Merrill led off with a single and a Kasey Bass walk, Thimsen singled to right field to score Merrill, moved to third and Bass scored on a double play, then scored on an error.  Bass drove in a one-out run, Thimsen plated a run on a ground-out and Bass and Charlie Szykowny scored when Levi Wilson reached on an error. The Pioneers pulled to within 7-2 in the bottom of the second inning. Szykowny drove in a run in the fourth. Thimsen scored on a wild pitch and moments later Szykowny came home on a wild pitch. Stout put the game away in the seventh inning with six runs. Merrill picked up an RBI and Paul Weise scored on a wild pitch. Bass and Szykowny each hit two run home runs to pad the lead.  Stout's first four batters in the lineup accounted for almost all of the Blue Devils' hits as Merrill, Bass, Thimsen and Szykowny went a combined 12 for 19, drove in nine runs and scored 13 runs. Merrill was 2 for 5, Bass 3 for 4, Thimsen 3 for 5 and Szykowny 4 for 5.  James Palmer worked six innings to get the win, striking out nine while scattering four hits and allowing two earned runs. Palmer walked none. Alex Foss worked the final inning, allowing one hit.  Platteville (1-1) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning of game two, but Stout bounced back to score three runs in the second inning. Stout drew four consecutive walks to open the second inning, with Ryan Herbst drawing a bases loaded free pass to record his first collegiate RBI. Freshman Riley Boushack smacked out a double to score two. The Pioneers added a run in the fourth inning, then tacked on two more in the sixth.  Herbst attracted his second bases loaded walk of the game to score Szykowny. Platteville scored three runs on four hits in the seventh inning. Stout drew their third bases loaded walk of the game in the eighth inning when Wilson walked in a run. Stout scored the final run of the when freshman Nolan Harke entered as a pinch hitter and stroked a single to left center and would eventually come in on Thimsen's left field single. Both teams ran through their pitching staff. Stout used four pitchers while Platteville used six pitchers.  | Game Story and Stats

SCOUTING UW-LA CROSSE: The Eagles return 2019 WIAC pitcher of the year Zach Pronschinske, first team third baseman Brennan Schmitt, and honorable mention outfielder Zach Carney.   | Baseball Website | Schedule | Coaching Staff | Statistics |

LA CROSSE LAST TIME OUT: La Crosse opened its 2021 season with a doubleheader sweep of UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon at Copeland Park. The Eagles earned a 13-0 win in seven innings in the opener before a 16-6 victory in eight innings in the nightcap. UW-Eau Claire was also playing its season opener. The Blugolds were playing their first varsity games since the sport was discontinued in 1995. UWL took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Zach Carney walked and advanced to second on Shane Coker's single. After a pair of outs were recorded, Ethan Gerstner hit a three-run home run for the Eagles.  UWL added to its lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs on a run-scoring single from Coker and RBI groundout by Jonathan Wizner.  Carney and Brennan Schmitt delivered RBI singles in the bottom of the fourth to give UWL a 7-0 lead. The Eagles tallied six runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth. Schmitt and Mac Born were hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to make it 9-0. Colton Schraepfer's two-run single made it 11-0. Born and Schraepfer later scored on wild pitches. Sawyer Phillips (1-0) earned the win in the opener, going 4.0 innings, allowing one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts. He struck out six of the first seven Blugolds' in the game. Zach Pronschinske pitched 2.0 innings with four strikeouts while Caleb Matl allowed one hit with three strikeouts in 1.0 inning.  Sawyer Phillips earned the win in the opener. UWL totaled eight hits in the opener. Seven starters recorded a hit for the Eagles with Coker finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Carney scored three times while Schmitt and Schraepfer each had two RBI.  Tim Ginter (0-1) took the loss for UW-Eau Claire, going 5.0 innings, allowing six hits, seven runs and six walks with three strikeouts. The Blugolds finished with two hits. Anthony Pogodzinski had the team's first hit since 1995 with a single in the second. Otto Treichel doubled to start the seventh.

In the nightcap, UW-Eau Claire got on the board in the top of the first with Nate Witte coming in on a passed ball. The Blugolds left the bases-loaded in the first. UW-Eau Claire took a 2-0 advantage in the second with Elyjah Johns scoring on Logan Matson's double.  UWL took a 4-2 lead with four runs in the bottom of the frame on only one hit. Connor Roesler walked with the bases-loaded to cut the lead to 2-1. Ty Hamilton came in on a UW-Eau Claire fielding error to tie the game at 2-2. Coker followed with a two-run single knocking in Roesler and Jordan Williams. Three of the four runs were unearned Both teams scored a run in the third inning. Treichel hit a solo home run to lead-off the third for the Blugolds to make it 4-3 before Parker Plume's sacrifice fly scored Jack Kelly for the Eagles to make it a two-run game. UW-Eau Claire tied the game in the top of the fourth on Matson's RBI double and Jacob Lacy's sacrifice fly. UWL took a 6-5 lead in the fourth on Wizner's single to score Coker.  Matson's sacrifice fly for UW-Eau Claire tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the sixth, but UWL responded in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-6 lead on Jack Kelly's two-out single.  Connor Roesler scored four runs with five walks Saturday. UWL scored seven runs in the seventh. Wizner and Kelly walked with the bases-loaded to get the scoring started in the inning. Williams' two-run single scored Brennan Schmitt and Wizner. Roesler walked with the bases-loaded while Williams and Plume scored on wild pitches. The Eagles ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Plume had an RBI single to knock in Colin Kleffman with Kelly also scoring on the play after a Blugolds' throwing error.  Jack Mizgalski (1-0) picked up the win for UWL, pitching 2.0 innings, allowing one hit, one run and two walks with two strikeouts. Jack Perinovic started for the Eagles, going 2.0 innings, allowing three his, three runs and four walks with three strikeouts. UWL totaled 11 hits in the nightcap with eight starters recording at least one. Coker finished 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI and two walks while Roesler went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI and two walks. Coker, Wizner, Kelly, Williams and Plume each had two RBI. Kelly scored three times.  Kendal Lecker (0-1) suffered the loss for UW-Eau Claire, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing five hits, one run and one walk. Will Mosinski started for the Blugolds, pitching 3.1 innings, allowing one hit, six runs (three earned) and eight walks while striking out two. UW-Eau Claire pitchers finished with 14 walks in the second game as well as hitting five batters.UW-Eau Claire had seven hits in the second game with Matson finishing 2-for-2 with three RBI and one run. Nate Witte went 2-for-3 with three runs while Treichel finished 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.

SCOUTING UW-EAU CLAIRE: The Blugolds return to varsity status for the first time since 1995. The Blugolds are on the road the first three dates, but open at Carson Park, Wednesday, March 31 against UW-Stevens Point. | Baseball Website | Schedule | Coaching Staff | Statistics |

LAST TIME OUT VS. UW-PLATTEVILLE: Eau Claire dropped the series to UW-Platteville on Thursday afternoon, 7-2 and 11-3. The doubleheader marked Eau Claire's home opener for the 2021 season  and was played at Bollinger Field. Platteville went up 2-0 in game one, but the Blugolds got on the board in the bottom of the second off an RBI single by Will Jilek, scoring Anthony Pogodzinski.Jilek would again knock home a run in the seventh, with an RBI single to left field that scored Henry Pitsch. Despite two more opportunities at the plate in the bottom of the eighth and ninth, Eau Claire couldn't close the gap on the Pioneers, with the final score reading 7-2. The Blugolds finished with five hits in the first game, coming from Jilek, Pogodzinski, Pitsch, Cade Mueller and Elyjah Johnson. In game two, Eau Claire's first run came in the bottom of the first. Logan Matson got on base after being hit by pitch and eventually took home on a double steal with Pogodzinski. A big third inning by the Pioneers put the Blugolds in a deficit they couldn't climb out of. They would notch one more run in the bottom of the third and sixth innings. Charley Griffin got the start in game two for UWEC, while David Janssen came on in relief and struck out five batters. | Game Story and Stats

LAST TIME OUT VS. UW-LA CROSSE: The Blugolds played their first varsity game since 1995 and were defeated by UW-La Crosse, 13-0, 16-6, March 20 in La Crosse. Eau Claire baseball team dropped their season opener series against UW-La Crosse Saturday afternoon, 13-0 (7 innings) and 16-6 (8 innings). It marked the first games back for the program since the 1994-95 season The Blugold offense never quite got going in game one. They got a pair of hits from Otto Treichel and Anthony Pogodzinski but weren't able to close the gap. Tom Ginther got the start at pitcher in the opener and pitched five innings, striking out three batters. In game two, Eau Claire got on the board when Nate Witte singled and later scored off a passed ball. The Blugolds would score in each of the first four innings. Witte would again score off a sacrifice fly from Logan Matson in the top of the sixth to tie the game, 6-6. La Crosse responded with a run of their own in the bottom half, and then exploded for six runs in the seventh. UWEC had one more opportunity at the plate to close the gap but couldn't mount the comeback attempt. Witte, Matson and Triechel were the top hitters in game two, each getting two hits apiece. Triechel also hit the first home run of the season for the Blugolds, coming back in the third inning. Will Mosinki got the start in the second game and went 3.1 innings. The Blugolds are scheduled to play UW-Platteville in Waupun Tuesday, March 23. 


BLUE DEVIL TEAM CAPTAINS: Kasey Bass, Hunter Merrill, Dan Deis and Jace Baumann will serve as 2021 team captains.

AWARDS AND HONORS: 2021: James Palmer earned WIAC player of the week honors after recording nine strikeouts in a season-opening 16-2 win over UW-Platteville...2020: Charlie Szykowny earned WIAC player of the week honors after the Blue Devils went 2-1 in their only games of the 2020 season.


BLUE DEVIL COACH: Ben Kincaid (42-72) is in his fifth year as the Blue Devils' head coach with the 2021 season, following two years as a Blue Devil assistant coach where he worked primarily with the pitchers. Kincaid played collegiately at at Minnesota State University-Mankato, where he was a four year letter winner, playing in 149 games. He finished with a .339 batting average, 38 doubles (5th on MSU's career list), six home runs and 140 runs batted in (6th on MSU's career list). As a right-handed pitcher he sported a 14-8 record with a 3.45 earned run average and had 148 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched. Kincaid was named to the All-Central Region team three times in his career. An Eau Claire native, Kincaid played for the local Eau Claire Express. (Ben Kincaid was 42-72 to start 2021 season)


2019 BLUE DEVILS: Stout finished the 2019 season at 20-17 overall, 12-12 in the WIAC. | 2019 Statistics

DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue Devils are scheduled to play at UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, March 31, then host the Pointers, Friday, April 2 at 1 p.m.