Baseball Preview: Stout ventures on in WIAC tourney, face Pointers Friday in Whitewater

vs. UW-Stevens Point, May 21:  Live Stats | Watch |  WIAC Championship | Spectator Policy

THIS WEEK'S GAMES:  UW-Stout (22-17, 16-12 WIAC) took a 2-0 win over UW-Oshkosh May 19 to capture their first win in the WIAC Baseball Championship since 2007 and advance in the tournament where they will play top-seeded UW-Stevens Point (30-9, 24-4 WIAC), Friday, May 21 at 1 p.m. at UW-Whitewater.   The winner of the tournament earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

SETTING UP THE TOURNAMENT: UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point shared the conference regular season crown, but the Pointers earned the No. 1 seed and Whitewater the No. 2 seed. The Warhawks and the Pointers earn a first round bye.  Before the season began, it was determined the final rounds of the tournament would be played at Whitewater. UW-La Crosse, the third seeded team, defeated sixth seeded UW-Platteville, 14-13 in 10 innings Wednesday. The Eagles will play host Whitewater at 10 a.m. Friday. The first round was single elimination, but the final two days at Whitewater will be played as a double elimination tournament. 

WIAC TOURNAMENT: The Blue Devils competed in the 2019 tournament, losing to UW-Whitewater, 6-1, and getting bounced 5-2 by UW-Platteville. Before 2019, Stout last competed in the conference championship in 2014. The Blue Devils were also the fourth seed and played top-seeded UW-Whitewater in Whitewater, losing 15-14 in 10 innings. Stout was eliminated from the tournament in the next game, 13-3, by UW-Stevens Point. Stout also played in the championship in 2007 and 1999. The Blue Devils knocked off top-seeded UW-Oshkosh in the 2007 tournament, their only tournament win in the current set-up until their 2-0 win over Titans in the 2021 first round. Stout lost to UW-Stevens Point in the second round game and were eliminated by UW-Oshkosh. In 1999, the Blue Devils lost to UW-Oshkosh in a single elimination tournament. Stout is 1-5 in the tournament.  

UW-Stout in the WIAC Championship Tournament
2021 - vs. UW-Oshkosh, W 2-0; vs. UW-Stevens Point
2019 - vs. UW-Whitewater, L 6-1; vs. UW-Platteville, L 5-2
2014 - vs. UW-Whitewater, L 15-14 (10 innings); vs. UW-Stevens Point, L 13-3
2007 - vs. UW-Oshkosh, W 9-7 (10 innings); vs. UW-Stevens Point, L 7-5; vs. UW-Oshkosh, L 11-2
1999 - vs. UW-Oshkosh, L 10-1

AGAINST TEAMS IN THE 2021 WIAC CHAMPIONSHIP: UW-Stout is 1-3 against UW-Stevens Point this season (L 12-2, L 5-1, L 9-4, W 9-7), 0-4 against UW-Whitewater (L 10-1, L 7-0, L 12-1, L 11-5) and 2-6 against UW-La Crosse (L 11-5, L 6-1, L 6-0, L 14-6, L 6-5, W 12-6, L 11-9, W 18-8). 

2021 WIAC Baseball Championship Schedule
Wednesday, May 19
First Round
UW-Stevens Point (#1) - Bye
UW-Whitewater (#2) - Bye
UW-La Crosse (#3) 14, UW-Platteville (#6) 13 (10 innings) (at La Crosse)  (Box Score)
UW-Stout (#4) 2, UW-Oshkosh (#5) 0 (at Menomonie)  (Box Score)

Friday, May 21 (at UW-Whitewater)  (Spectator Policy-Updated on May 19)
Game 1--UW-La Crosse (#3) at UW-Whitewater (#2), 10:00 AM  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Game 2--UW-Stout (#4) vs. UW-Stevens Point (#1), 1:00 PM  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Game 3--Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 4:00 PM  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Game 4--Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 7:00 PM  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)

Saturday, May 22 (at UW-Whitewater)  (Spectator Policy-Updated on May 19)
Game 5--Loser of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3, Noon  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Game 6--Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 3:00 PM  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)

Sunday, May 23 (at UW-Whitewater)  (Spectator Policy-Updated on May 19)
Game 7 (if necessary), If winner of Game 4 loses Game 6, Noon  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Championship winner receives conference's automatic NCAA bid.

**Schedule subject to change

 
2021 WIAC SCHEDULE: 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
Thurs, Mar. 25 / at UW-La Crosse / L 11-5, L 6-1
Sat, Mar. 27 / UW-Eau Claire (at River Falls)  / W 3-1, W 13-3 (7)
Thur, Apr. 1 / at UW-Stevens Point* / L 12-2 (7), L 5-1
Fri, Apr. 2 / UW-Stevens Point* / L 9-4, W 9-7
Tues, Apr. 6 / at UW-Eau Claire* / W 11-3
Fri, Apr. 9 / UW-Eau Claire* / W 22-3 (7), W 10-3
Sat, Apr. 10 / at UW-Eau Claire* / W 5-4 (10)
Wed, Apr. 14 / at UW-Oshkosh* /  W 5-0, L 9-1
Sat, Apr. 17 / UW-Oshkosh* / W 7-4, L 12-9
Tues, Apr. 20 / UW-La Crosse* / L 6-0, L 14-6
Fri, Apr. 23 / at UW-La Crosse* / L 6-5, W 12-6
Sat, Apr. 24 / UW-La Crosse / L 11-9, W 18-8 (7)
Wed, Apr. 28 / at UW-Whitewater* / L 10-1, L 7-0
Sat, May 1 / UW-Whitewater* / L 12-1, L 11-5
Tues, May 4 / UW-Platteville* / W 8-0, W 8-7
Fri, May 7 / at UW-Platteville* / W 5-4, W 5-1
Sat, May 8 / UW-Platteville / W 9-8, L 17-12
Fri, May 14 / Finlandia University* / W 9-0, W 11-1 (7 inn)
Sat, May 15 / Finlandia University* / W 14-6, W 11-5 (8 inn)
Wed, May 19 / vs. UW-Oshkosh, WIAC Championship First Round / W 2-0
Fri, May 21 / WIAC Championship vs. UW-Stevens Point, 1 p.m.
Sat, May 22 / WIAC Championship at UW-Whitewater / TBA


BLUE DEVIL OFFENSE:  Charlie Szykowny is batting .379 (61-161) with 22 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 264 RBI. Kasey Bass is hitting .370 (50-135) with 13 doubles, nine home runs with a team-best 45 RBI. Hunter Merrill is hitting .326 (43-132) with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI. Szykowny saw his on-base streak end at 45 when he did not reach base for the first time since the 2019 season in the first round game with Oshkosh.  Hunter Merrill is hitting .321 (43-134( with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI. Riley Boushack is hitting .320 (40-125) with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and 20 RBI. Boushack may be the most patient Blue Devil of the bunch, second in the league in walks drawn with 28. Alex Jinkins has walked 20 times.  | Statistics

THE LONG BALL: This Blue Devil team has rediscovered the long ball this season. Stout has hit 37 home runs so far this season, surpassing the most recent home run tally of 29 set in 2014 when Ryan Freitag lifted 15 pitches over the fence. The 2012 Blue Devil team hit 30. Stout has a lot of targets to go after in home runs. The 1997 and 1998 teams hit 38. The 2000 team hit 39 and the 1992 team hit 42. The school record for team home runs was 56 during the 1983 season. As a team, Stout is third in the league in home runs with 37, led by Merrill (11), Bass (9),  Szykowny (4), Riley Boushack (3) and Alex Jinkins (3). Joel Thimsen, Colin Hageman, Paul Weise, Jack Schripke, Drew Ries and Ryan Herbst have each hit a home run this season. Stout has hit almost twice as many home runs as their opponents (19), but has not hit a home run since playing at UW-Platteville, May 7. The Blue Devils are ranked 27th nationally in home runs. 

DOUBLING DOWN: Over six games two weeks ago against UW-Platteville, Charlie Szykowny hit nine doubles, nearly doubling his doubles total to 19, setting a new single season record for doubles. Last week over four games with Finlandia, Szykowny had three doubles to extend the school record to 22.  Jack Schneider (2014) held the previous mark of 17 doubles. Jeff Kloes (1987), Mike Jaje (1995) and Seth Meier (2005) shared the record for several years with 16. Kasey Bass hit 15 in 2019. Bass currently has 13 doubles and Hunter Merrill 10. 

WIAC STATS: The Blue Devils have several players in the top 10 in individual statistical categories. Charlie Szykowny is fourth in hits (61), second in runs scored (52), first in doubles (22),  fourth in total bases 101), tied for eighth in walks (20), and eighth in on-base percentage (.461).. Kasey Bass is tied for fourth in home runs (9), tied seventh in RBI (45), ninth in total bases (90),  and fifth in slugging percentage (.667). Despite missing three games last week, Hunter Merrill is third in home runs (11),  and ninth in slugging percentage (.642). On the mound, Palmer is fifth in innings pitched (68.2), tied for second in wins (7), second in strikeouts (76), tied for first in shutouts (2), tied for second in complete games (2), and third in opponent batting average (.180)

30 OR MORE TEAM HOME RUNS OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS
42 - 1992
39 - 2000
38 - 1998
38 - 1997
37 - 2021
36 - 2001
34 - 1995
33 - 1994
32 - 2005
31 - 2006
30 - 2002

BLUE DEVIL PITCHING: James Palmer (1.83 ERA/76K) and Cody Urban (5.98/33) have each started nine games, with Jace Bauman (4.15/22) making seven starts and Ethan Kjellberg (5.97/10) and Brock Burg (5.23/28) with five starts each. Trevor Miller abd Alex Mahaz each have two saves. Palmer is 6-3, Mahaz 3-0, Baumann 2-4, Burg 3-2, Urban 1-2 and Kjellberg 1-3. Palmer pitched a no-hitter May 4 against UW-Platteville.  

PUNCHOUTS: Palmer moved to the top of  the UW-Stout single season strikeout list with 76. The school record of 75 was held by Ron Yessa in 1997. Brad Rindfleisch had 59 strikeouts in 2019.

SINGLE SEASON STRIKEOUTS (since 1991)
James Palmer, 76, 2021
Ron Yessa, 75, 1997
Adam Rothenbuehler, 65, 2002
Brad Rindfleisch, 59, 2019
Matt Doornink, 58, 2009
Matt Doornink, 53, 2008
Ben Sivertson, 53, 2007
Dan Olson, 53, 2007
Matt Lunde, 53, 2002
Russ Morrow, 51, 1992

UW-STOUT NO-HITTERS
James Palmer, May 4, 2021, W 8-0 vs. UW-Platteville at Nelson Field (9 innings)
Russ Jiskra, Nate Hanson, Ethan Smallbrook, Dave Oestrich, March 4, 2009, W 2-0 vs. Minn-Crookston, HHH Metrodome (7 innings)
Brett Blair, March 19, 1997, W 2-0 vs. Illinois College, Ft. Myers, Fla. (7 innings)
Mike Charbonneau, April 15, 1987, W 10-0 vs. UW-Superior (7 innings)
Larry Kreyling, May 1, 1965, W 3-0 vs. Superior State (7 innings)

***While not officially a no-hitter, Brad Rindfleisch pitched nine no-hit innings inside a 17-inning game against UW-La Crosse at Nelson Field, May 8, 2018. Rindfleisch entered the game in the sixth inning and exited after the 14th inning, facing 28 batters, one above the minimum, walking one and fanning three. The Blue Devils lost, 3-2, and Rindfleisch did not figure into the decision.

UW-STOUT LAST TIME OUT:  James Palmer and Jace Baumann combined for a shutout, UW-Stout's defense turned two double plays and threw out three batters attempting to steal and Dan Deis and Drew Reis drove in a run apiece as the Blue Devils defeated UW-Oshkosh, 2-0, in the first round of the WIAC Baseball Championship, presented by Culver's, Wednesday, at Nelson Field.  |  Game Story and Stats 


SCOUTING UW-STEVENS POINT: Stevens Point won their 10th conference championship in program history and first since the 2011 campaign. They are under the director of first year coach Nat Richter. The Pointers are currently carrying a five game winning streak. Payton Nelson is hitting .371, Bradley Comer .368, Aaron Simmons .359, Jacob Lilge .305 and Quin Heywood .304. Nelson has 48 RBI, Comer 41 and Simmons 39. Simmons is second in the league in home runs with 12. The Pointers lead the WIAC in home runs with 53. Nelson and Comer have each hit nine.  Casey Pickering (4.58 ERA/40K) has started nine games on the hill and Nick Carpenter (4.01/41) has started eight. JD Schultz (3.03/60) has gotten the call seven times and Caleb Krommenakker (4.71/24) six times. Schultz recorded eight strikeouts in a 5-1 win over Stout and Carpenter fanned five in a 12-2 win over the Blue Devils in April.   | Baseball Website | Schedule | Coaching Staff | Statistics |

STEVENS POINT LAST TIME OUT:  Stevens Point claimed a share of the WIAC regular season championship with a sweep of UW-Platteville to close out the regular season Saturday.  UWSP jumped ahead early in game one, an 11-4 win, before rallying for a 6-2 win in game two.  | Game Story and Stats



SCOUTING UW-LA CROSSE: The Eagles' Brennan Schmitt is hitting .410 (55-134) with 49 RBI, 48 runs scored, 13 doubles, three triples and six home run. Zach Carney is hitting .382 (63-165) with 29 RBI. Connor Roesler has six home runs Mac Born has 49 RBI and five home runs and Shane Coker has 36 RBI. Zach Pronschinske (4.65 ERA/65K), Sawyer Phillips (4.98/48) and Jack Mizgalski (7.65/42) have all started eight games. Alec Mach has 48 strikeouts in 12 appearances, all in relief.   | Baseball Website | Schedule | Coaching Staff | Statistics |

LA CROSSE LAST TIME OUT: La Crosse rallied for a 14-13 win in 10 innings over UW-Platteville in the first round of the WIAC Championship (presented by Culver's) Wednesday afternoon at Copeland Park. | Game Story and Stats



SCOUTING UW-WHITEWATER: The Warhawks finished in a tie for the conference title with UW-Stevens Point, claiming their fourth consecutive title and their 20th overall. Sam Vohoff leads the team at the plate, hitting .407 (44-108) with 28 RBI. Matt O'Sullivan (1.22 ERA/103K), Westin Muir (1.43/65), Connor Spear (182/51) and Donovan Brandl (2.05/45) have each started at least seven games.  | Baseball Website | Schedule | Coaching Staff | Statistics |

LAST TIME OUT: The Warhawks played a 13-inning non-conference game with UW-Oshksh, May 16, winning7-6. Oshkosh tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth frame, but nationally ranked UW-Whitewater outlasted the Titans, 7-6 in 13 innings, during the nonconference regular season finale at Tiedemann Field.. UW-Whitewater ranked third in the NCAA Division III by D3baseball.com, did not get a runner past second base between the eighth and 12th innings but pulled out the victory during the 13th frame as Donovan Brandl reached on a fielder's choice for the second out, stole second base and scored on Ryan Norton's flair single to shallow right field. Dransfeldt singled to lead off the home half of the 13th inning for UW-Oshkosh. However, a flyout and a double play ended the game.  | Game Story and Statistics


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

AWARDS AND HONORS: 2021: Riley Boushack was named the WIAC/Kwik Trip pitcher of the week...James Palmer was named the WIAC/Kwik Trip pitcher of the week and the NCBWA pitcher of the week after pitching a no-hitter May 4 against UW-Platteville...Charlie Szykowny was selected as the WIAC/Kwik Trip position player of the week after batting .500 and hitting nine doubles in six games with UW-Platteville, May 4-9...Kasey Bass hit a bases loaded double to drive in three runs to lift UW-Stout to a 9-7 win in the second game of a doubleheader with UW-Stevens Point April 2 and was selected The Heights/UW-Stout Athlete of the Week...James Palmer earned WIAC/Kwik Trip player of the week and The Heights/UW-Stout Athlete of the Week honors after recording nine strikeouts in a season-opening 16-2 win over UW-Platteville.

COACHES: Ben Kincaid (64-89) 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. 

DOWN THE ROAD:  The winner of the WIAC Championship will earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.