UW-Stout 22, UW-Eau Claire 3 |
UW-Stout 10, UW-Eau Claire 3
RIVER FALLS (April 9, 2021) - What is it about the UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire baseball teams and their playing baseball in the rain? In Stout and Eau Claire's three meetings, the rainfall was a prominent part of the picture.
In the teams' first meeting on March 27, the games were moved to River Falls due to Stout's field being unplayable. Still, the teams played on the artificial surface of the First National Bank of River Falls Field in River Falls. When the teams met Tuesday, April 6, the first game was halted and will be completed Saturday, April 10. And today's games returned to River Falls and again was played in the rain for much of the day.
For Eau Claire (0-12, 0-6) on Friday, it must have felt as if Stout was raining on them as the Blue Devils (6-6, 3-3 WIAC) tallied 32 total runs over the two games, grabbing wins of 22-3 in seven innings and 10-3.
In the opener, Stout jumped out to a four-run lead, scoring in the first on
Alex Jinkins' sacrifice fly and adding three run in the thrd inning. Jinkins laced his second sacrifice fly of the day and Stout took advantage of what would be a forerunner of things to come. With the bases loaded, both
Hunter Merrill and
Paul Weise were hit by a pitch to drive in a run.
But it would be nothing compared to the fourth inning when Stout would send 19 to the plate and score 13 runs on only three hits.
Riley Boushack smashed a two-run home run to dead center field, Hunter Merril had a two run home run and
Kasey Bass had a two-run single.
Stout added five runs in the fifth inning and
Paul Weise exacted a little revenge. After twice getting hit by a pitch in the game, Weise laced a three-run home run to right field.
The Blugolds scored three runs in the sixth inning.
Blue Devil starting pitcher
James Palmer went five inning to get the win, fanning a career-best 11 batters and allowing one hit.
Stout recorded nine hits to two for Eau Claire. Boushack was 2 for 2 with two RBI and four runs scored.
Charlie Szykowny also scored four runs Szykowny was 1 for 2 at the plate, but also drew three walks and was hit by a pitch to find himself on base five times in six plate appearances. Every starter for the Blue Devils scored at least one run and 12 players scored at least one run. Stout drew 16 walks and Blue Devil batters were hit seven times
The 22 runs was the most by a Stout team since April 3, 2010, when Stout defeated Finlandia, 29-1.
In game two, the Blugolds outhit the Blue Devils 12-9, but Stout finished the game strong, scoring at least one run in their final four innings.
Stout got on the board first when Jinkins drove in Szykowny with a double in the first inning, then added two runs in the second inning.
Eau Claire would come back and tie the score, tallying a single run in the third and two in the fourth.
The Blue Devils took the game, starting with three runs in the fifth inning. Back-to-back doubles by
Kasey Bass and Merril scored two runs and Merrill would eventually score on an error. Jinkins grounded out to drive in a run the sixth and Merrill led off the seventh with a home run. Szykowny slashed a two-run home run in the eighth to end the scoring on the day.
Szykowny was 2 for 4 in the game with two RBI and Merrill was 2 for 5 with two runs runs. Jinkins and Bass each had two RBI.
Brock Burg came on in relief, pitching five innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits and had four strikeouts, to earn his first win of the season.
Stout finished the day with 32 runs, 18 hits, five doubles, five home runs. Stout drew 27 walks and were hit by pitches seven times.
The team will finish their halted game from Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at Carson Park, followed by a conference game. Stout will be at UW-Oshkosh, Wednesday, April 14, then host the Titans Saturday, April 17.
