Blue Devils close out baseball season with a sweep over Finlandia

UW-Stout 12, Finlandia University 9 | UW-Stout 9, Finlandia University 6

MENOMONIE (May 7, 2022) - UW-Stout closed out the season on a six-game winning streak, capping off the streak with a 12-9, 9-6, sweep over Finlandia University Saturday at Wakanda Park.

But the wins didn't come easy. The Blue Devils (21-19, 14-14 WIAC) had to come from behind to win both games. Finlandia, winless in conference games, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener. In the second game, Finlandia  (3-35, 0-28 WIAC) overcame a 4-0 deficit and took the lead, 5-4, in the fifth inning. 

In the opener, Finlandia took the lead with a single run in the second inning and added two more runs in the third inning. The Lions punched out six hits over the first three innings, while the Blue Devils sent only nine batters to the plate over the first three innings.

Stout tied the scored in the fourth inning when Jacoby Endreas hit a three-run home run to left field. Stout added five more runs in the sixth inning, spreading out four hits. Jack Schirpke hit a two-run double to break the tie. Drew Ries hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 6-3. The Blue Devils scored two more runs when Riley Boushack reached on a two-out error and Stout led 8-3.

The Blue Devils nearly ended the game on the 10-run rule in the eighth inning. After a lead-off out, Reese Vold and Riley Boushack both were hit by a pitch and came home moments later when Joel Thimsen homered. Charlie Szykowny followed up with a home run, his conference-leading 18th of the year. The home run also gave Szykowny his 54th RBI, tying the school single season RBI record held by John Filas.

Endreas was 4 for 5 with three RBI. Thimsen was 3 for 5 with three RBI. Schirpke was 3 for 5 with two RBI. Ries was 2 for 3. Drew Buss recorded the win, pitching five innings in relief. Buss struck out four. Starter Cody Urban struck out three.

In the second game, Stout jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a three-run first inning. Endreas hit an RBI single to put Stout on the board. Levi Wilson drew a bases-loaded walk and Paul Weise's ground out drove in another run. Stout added another run in the fourth inning on Szykowny's sacrifice fly, an RBI that broke the school's single season RBI record and Stout held a 4-0 lead.

Finlandia continued to put up a fight, scoring five runs in the fifth inning. The Lions got RBI from Brandon Gaskin, Sheridan Brady and a two-run home run by Josh Merced. 

The Blue Devils recovered in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs to regain the lead. Endreas drove in a run, Wilson plated two with a single to right and Weise hit a sacrifce fly.

Finlandia added a run in the eighth when Gaskin hit a solo home run. Stout got the run back when Wilson and Schirpke executed a double steal, with Schirpke taking home for the final 9-6 score.

The teams combined for 26 hits, with Finlandia getting 11 hits and Stout 15. The Lions' Merced had three hits and Alton and Gaskin each had two hits. Gaskin finished with three RBI.

Wilson was 4 for 4 with three RBI to lead Stout. Boushack was 3 for 5 and Thimsen and Endreas each had two hits.

Trevor Miller recorded the win for the Blue Devils in relief, working 1.2 innings, striking out two and allowed no hits and no runs. Starter Quintin Gonzalez had five struckouts. Dake Doyle and Szykowny, who picked up the save, each had three punch-outs.

For the day, Endreas was 6 for 10 with five RBI and four runs scored. Thimsen was 5 for 9 with five runs scored and three RBI. Wilson was 4 for 6 with three RBI. Boushack was 3 for 9.