Pointers sweep first day of two-day series

UW-Stevens Point 12, UW-Stout 2 (7 inn) | UW-Stevens Point 5, UW-Stout 1

STEVENS POINT (April 1, 2021) - In the first day of a two-day series, UW-Stevens Point captured both games over UW-Stout, taking a 7-inning 12-2 first game win, then turning around and sealing the day with a 5-1 second game win in the conference opener for both teams Thursday at Zimmermann Field.

The Pointers (6-2, 2-0 WIAC) recorded 12 hits to Stout's seven hits as the Blue Devils (3-5, 0-2 WIAC) stranded 10 runners. Stevens Point opened the game with a four-run first inning on three hits highlighted by Lucas Luedtke's two-run double, chasing Stout's Jace Baumann in his first appearance of the season. 

The Pointers added a run in the third, then scored three more in the fifth before Stout got on the board in the top of the sixth. The Blue Devils took advantage of several Stevens Point mistakes in the inning. Kasey Bass got on with an error, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Bass moved to third on Paul Weise's single, then came home, along with Hunter Merrill, when Levi Wilson's grounder to second base was misplayed and Stevens Point led 8-2. 

The Blue Devils stranded three runners in the sixth inning and Stevens Point went on to add two runs in the sixth and ended the game with two runs in the seventh on Tommy Duddleston's double. 

Hunter Merrill and Paul Weise were 2 for 3 for Stout. Bradley Comer was 2 for 4 with two RBI to lead the Pointers. Luedtke was 2 for 4 with three RBI. Duddleston, Aaron Simmons, and Payton Nelson each had three hits. Duddleston and Nelson drove in two runs each.

The Pointers' Nick Carpenter went 5.2 innings, scattering five hits and allowed two runs, while striking out five and walking three to get the win. Jace Baumann was saddled with the loss, scattering three hits,  allowing four runs, two earned, in one inning. Brock Burg went four innings for Stout and Logan Hile worked 1.1 innings. 

The Blue Devils the first lead in the second game, scoring a run in the fourth inning. Charlie Szykowny led off the inning with a triple, then scored when Bass reached safely on an infield error. The Pointers took the lead in the fifth with two runs, then added a single run in the sixth and two runs in the eighth.

Three Pointer pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts. Starter JD Schultz accounted for eight strikeouts and alllowed one hit and one run over six innings. Tyler Beyer had four strikeouts over two innings and Sidney Ferry had two strikeouts in one inning.

Ethan Kjellberg went six innings, striking out two and allowing three runs to take the loss. Bret Lecheler and Luke Kallod worked the final two innings. 

Stevens Point finished with 10 hits to Stout's four. Simmons and Matt Baumann each had two hits for the Pointers. Comer had a home run.  Alex Jinkins was 2 for 3 for Stout. 

The teams will meet again Friday, April 2 in Menomonie at noon.