UW-Stout 5, Ripon College 4 (11 inn) |
UW-Stout 15, Ripon College (7 inn)
MENOMONIE (May 4, 2022) – It was quite the afternoon for UW-Stout's
Charlie Szykowny as the Blue Devils swept Ripon College in a non-conference double header, 5-4 in 11 innings and 15-5 in seven innings.
The Blue Devil shortstop went 7 for 8 on the day, hit three home runs – including the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of the first game – scored five runs, hit a double and a triple and drove in seven runs.
Szykowny tied and set two school records. His home run to end the first game tied the school single season home run record, then he broke the school record with two home runs in the second game. Szykowny's triple in the first game tied the school career triples record and now has 10 career triples, four this season.
Defensively, Szykowny was perfect in the field, recording four put outs and 13 assists, and turned two double plays.
In game one, the first pitch Stout saw was a home run when lead-off hitter
Riley Boushack crushed the ball to right field for his second home run of the season. And Szykowny ended the game in the 11th as the lead-off hitter with his school record tying blast to right field.
Stout (17-19) added to their 1-0 lead in game one with a two run fourth inning as
Ryan Herbst and
Reese Vold drove in runs to give Stout a 3-0 lead. The Red Hawks (15-19) chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth to take a 4-3 lead. Szykowny was clutch in the ninth inning, tying the game with a one-out, RBI single through the right side of the infield.
Stout had their chance to end the game in the 10th inning, but left the bases loaded. Ripon started a threat in the 11th inning, but a heads-up play by Stout catcher
TJ Carlson got the first two outs of the inning. With a runner at first, the batter attempted to bunt as he was brushed back and fell over. The ball hit the bat, dribbled in front of the plate and Carlson threw the ball to second where Szykowny turned a double play.
In game two, after Ripon scored a run in the top of the first, Stout sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first. The Blue Devils added two runs in the third on Szykowny's two-run homer, breaking the school single season home run record and Stout held a 13-1 lead.
Ripon scored three run in the fourth to make it 13-4, taking away the 10-run advantage. Ripon added another run in the fifth to make it 13-5.
Szykowny homered in the fifth and Stout ended the game in the seventh inning when pinch hitter
Connor Hemme – who started the first game as the Blue Devils' pitcher, but got a no-decision – sliced a single up the middle to score pinch runner
Nolan Harke.
Boushack was 5 for 7 on the day with four runs scored and three RBI.
Trevor Miller worked three innings in game one to get the win.
Chase Higgins was awarded the win in game two, working two innings of relief.
The win also snapped a 10-game skid for the Blue Devils.
Stout will close out the regular season when they host Finlandia University, Friday, May 6 at Nelson Field and Saturday, May 7 at Wakanda Park.
