MENOMONIE, Wis. (April 23, 2025) – UW-Stout Baseball roared back from behind in both contests to complete a thrilling doubleheader sweep over UW-River Falls, winning Game 1 by a 12-9 margin and cruising in Game 2 with a 15-7 victory on a sun-soaked afternoon at Wakanda Park. With the wins, the Blue Devils secured a perfect 4-0 season sweep over the Falcons.
The day was also historic for senior pitcher Drew Buss, who eclipsed the UW-Stout career strikeouts record with his 167th career punchout, breaking a mark that stood since 1995.
Game 1: UW-Stout 12, UW-River Falls 9
Down 9-8 in the ninth, Leyten Bowers delivered a walk-off grand slam to cap a stunning comeback and set off celebrations at Wakanda Park. Stout had trailed by six earlier in the game before a methodical climb back, sparked by home runs from Billy Jones, Austin Miller, and Bowers, who tripled and walked twice before his decisive blast.
Drew Buss started the game and struck out six over four innings to break the program's all-time strikeout record with his 167th career K, surpassing the previous mark of 166 set in 1995. Quintin Gonzalez picked up the win in relief.
Game 2: UW-Stout 15, UW-River Falls 7
The bats stayed hot in Game 2 as Stout scored in six of eight innings. AJ Kargel went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs, and Bowers again led the offense with six RBIs, giving him a staggering 10 across the two games.
Parker Hagebock added a first-inning homer, while Justin Schnell, Justin Sedin, and Austin Miller also contributed multi-hit games. Easton Vertz earned his first win of the year, tossing 6.2 effective innings out of the bullpen.
Game Notes
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Drew Buss is now the all-time strikeouts leader in UW-Stout Baseball history with 167.
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UW-Stout finishes the regular season 4-0 against UW-River Falls, sweeping both doubleheaders.
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Leyten Bowers totaled 10 RBIs on the day with a homer, triple, and double.
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AJ Kargel extended his hit streak to six games and belted his first home run of the year.
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The Blue Devils' five home runs marked a season-best for a single day.
Up Next
The Blue Devils (13-19, 11-9 WIAC) return home for a heavyweight weekend clash, hosting #1-ranked UW-Whitewater for a four-game series. First pitch of Game 1 is set for Saturday, April 26 at noon at Wakanda Park in Menomonie.
