MENOMONIE — The UW-Stout Blue Devils earned a doubleheader sweep over North Central University (Minn.) on Tuesday, March 31, at Wakanda Park, winning the opener 13-5 and the nightcap 3-2. The victories improved Stout to 8-7 overall.
GAME ONE | UW-Stout 13, North Central 5
The Blue Devils erupted offensively in the seven-inning opener, tallying 13 runs on 11 hits. North Central jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer.
Stout responded immediately in the bottom of the second.
Mike Pustelnik homered to left center to cut the deficit.
Nick Webster tied the game with an RBI single to left, and
Cal Ulven followed with a double to left that drove in Webster, giving Stout a 3-2 lead.
Connor Marino added to the advantage with a sacrifice fly in the third.
Ryan Kelly then blasted a three-run homer to right center in the fourth, extending the lead to 7-2. Pustelnik later singled to third base to push across another run.
North Central answered with a solo homer in the fifth, but Webster responded with a solo shot to right center, restoring Stout's cushion at 9-3.
Gavyn Schacher delivered a three-run homer to right center in the sixth, and
Brandt Puzak added a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring at 13-5.
Pustelnik finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Webster, Schacher, and Ulven each collected two hits.
Grant Ingram earned the win, pitching 3.2 innings of relief.
GAME TWO | UW-Stout 3, North Central 2
The nightcap was a much tighter pitchers' duel. North Central scored once in the first inning and added another run in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Abiram Terron De Jesus to take a 2-1 lead.
Stout cut the deficit in the bottom of the sixth when
Cage Kavanagh led off with a single to right center. He advanced to second on a balk and to third on a wild pitch.
Austin Miller followed with a sacrifice fly to left that drove in the Blue Devils' first run, making it 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Stout rallied for the walk-off victory.
Mike Pustelnik laced a pinch-hit single to right, and
Dylan Moyers pinch-ran. Moyers advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Connor Marino.
Nick Webster then delivered an RBI single to left center to score Moyers and tie the game at 2-2.
Bryan Tunison was hit by a pitch, and
Kevin Zanin walked on four pitched to load the bases.
Cage Kavanagh drew a walk to score Webster for the 3-2 walk off win.
Starter
Wes Cain pitched six strong innings with nine strikeouts.
Sam Graunke earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning in relief.
The Blue Devils will host UW-Eau Claire in a four-game series this Friday and Saturday at Wakanda Park.
