Endreas smacks four home runs, two grand slams, as Stout powers past Eau Claire with 11-6, 16-3 wins

UW-Stout 11, UW-Eau Claire 6 | UW-Stout 16, UW-Eau Claire 3 (7 inn)

RIVER FALLS (April 2, 2022) - UW-Stout played power ball today, slugging seven total home runs in a doubleheader sweep over UW-Eau Claire Saturday at the First National Bank of River Falls Field, but nobody played power ball better than the Blue Devils' Jacoby Endreas.

Endreas smacked four home runs over the two games, including two grand slams and finished the day with 12 runs batted in, eight in the first game as Stout defeated Eau Claire 11-6, 16-3.

As a team, Stout (11-5, 6-0 WIAC) had 24 hits, 12 in both games. Stout also got home runs from Charlie Szykowny, Joel Thimsen and Justin Schnell.

But neither games were runaways initially as Eau Claire (6-8, 1-3 WIAC) took the lead in both games, only to see Stout come back, several times in the opener. 

Eau Claire got to starting pitcher Jace Baumann in the first inning, scoring twice when Jacob Lacy's single plated two batters with two outs. Stout cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third when a Thimsen fielder's choice drove in a run. The Blue Devils tied the game at 2-2 on Endreas' first home run of the game - and the season - with a leadoff round-tripper in the fourth. Eau Claire took the lead back in the fifth as the Blugolds took advantage of two Stout errors.

Endreas gave Stout the 4-3 lead in the fifth inning with a two-run single, only to see Eau Claire tie the game in the sixth on an RBI single by Otto Treichle. The Blugolds used a two-run outburst in the seventh inning on an RBI single by David Janssen and a sacrifice fly by Diego Caicedo to jump back on top, 6-4. 

Endreas pulled Stout to within 6-5 with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. Eau Claire loaded the base in the eighth inning, but Connor Hemme got out the jam unscathed, forcing to flyouts and a strikeout. 

The Blue Devils went to work in the eighth. Drew Ries led off with a walk and following a strikeout, Colin Hageman singled to move pinch runner to second and, following a pitching change, Charley Szykowny drew a walk to Load  the bases. Thimsen drove two runners home with a single and Jack Schirpke loaded the bases with a single for Endreas, who smashed his first career grand slam to give Stout a six-run inning and and an 11-6 win. Hemme gave up a single in the ninth, but got a pair of pop-ups to end the game.

Endreas was 4 for 5 with three runs scored and eight RBI. Thimsen finished with three RBI. Szykowny and Hageman each had two hits. For the Blugolds, Andrew Murphy and Chase Yaeger were 2 for 5 and Nate Witte and Diego Caicedo were 2 for 4. 

Hemme recorded the win in 2.0 innings of relief giving up two hits, but no runs. 

In the second game, the Blugolds struck again in the top of the first to take the lead on an Otto Treiche RBI double.

Stout gave starting pitcher Drew Buss plenty of support, bringing home six runs in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff out, Szykowny and Thimsen hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game. Endreas was intentionally walked. Schirpke loaded the bases with a single and Ries drove in two runners with a single. Riley Boushack brought home Schirpke with a single, then stole second. Nolan Harke reached on an infield error and Ries scored. Schnell moved Boushack to third on fly out to right field and Boushack stole home to give Stout their sixth run of the inning. Boushack recorded his second RBI of the day in the third to give Stout a 7-1 lead. Eau Claire twice in the fifth on RBIs by Murphy and Walter Johnson.

After Hageman reached an error to lead off the sixth inning, Szykowny delivered his sixth home run of the season to give Stout a 9-3 lead and Thimsen followed up with a solo home run for a 10-3 lead. 

The home run derby was far from over. Boushack led off the seventh inning with a bunt single and came home an out later when Schnell drove a pitch over the right field wall for his first home run of the season. Stout would proceed to load the bases for Endreas and the first baseman delivered with his second grand slam of the day to end the game by the 10-run rule.

Endreas went 1 for 3 in the game, but went 5 for 8 for the day. Boushack was 3 for 4 with two RBI. Szykowny and Thimsen each were 3 for 4. Buss pitched five innings to get his first collegiate win, striking out three, allowing three runs. 

Murphy was 2 for 3 to lead Eau Claire. 

The teams will close out the series Sunday, April 3 at 11 a.m. in River Falls.