Late Runs Lead Blue Devils to Sweep

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Stout baseball team won both ends of a doubleheader at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Friday by scores of 5-4 and 5-1.  The losses for Platteville drops their record to 14-20 overall on the 2021 season and 8-16 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  Stout improved to 16-16 overall and 12-12 in the WIAC.  The Blue Devils are now 5-1 vs. the Pioneers this season.  The two teams will play for a final time tomorrow, Saturday May 8th in Menomonie in a doubleheader.  Platteville has one more home doubleheader scheduled this season, slated to take place next Saturday, May 15th vs. the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

WP - E. Kjellberg (1-3)
 LP - N. Jennings (3-2)

Platteville scored two runs in the top of the first as the first two batters in the order Ross Krist (Jr./Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) and Jonny Kelso (Jr./Villa Park, Ill.) led off with singles and were later brought in via an RBI sacrifice fly by Austin Pullara (Fr./Morris, Ill.) and one out RBI single from Mitch McLaughlin (Fr./Amboy, Ill.).  For a while it looked like that might be all the Pioneers would need as starter Sam Hernandez (Fr./Malone, Wis.) stymied the Blue Devil bats early, shutting Stout out through the first five innings.  Then in the 6th inning, Stout's Hunter Merrill tied the game with one swing, slugging a one-out, 2-run home run over the left field fence.

The Pioneers however, answered right back in the bottom of the sixth when Andrew Zakula (So./Oak Creek, Wis.) lined a double with one out and later came around to score on a Grant Mullins (Fr./Greenville, Wis.) RBI ground out, putting Platteville back in front, 3-2.  An inning later, the Pioneers added an insurance run again off the bat of McLaughlin, whose second RBI single of the game brought in Kelso.  Neither team scored in the 8th and the Pioneers entered the 9th with a two run lead and just three outs away from a Game 1 victory.  In the 9th, Stout would load the bases but with two outs against reliever Nate Jennings (Jr./Arena, Wis.).  Needing a clutch hit to keep the game going, Stout got two in the form of a 2-RBI double off the bat off Charlie Szykowny to tie the game followed by a Drew Ries RBI single to give the Blue Devils their first lead on the afternoon, 5-4.  

UWP was unable to respond in the bottom of the ninth and Stout came away with the Game 1 victory.

Hernandez' final line saw him pitch seven strong innings, scattering just 4 hits, allowing 2 runs, striking out 4 and issuing one walk.

WP - B. Burg (2-2)
 LP - I. Schildgen (0-2)

Each team scratched across a run in the first inning of game two.  Blue Devil Alex Jinkins led off the game with a home run to left off Pioneer starter Shane Nolan (Sr./Lake Zurich, Ill.) for Stout's tally.  Platteville responded in the bottom half after a lead-off double from Krist off Devils' starter Brock Burg.  One out later, Pullara lined a single up the middle, tying the game at one apiece.  After a shaky first though, both starters settled in and began putting up zeros.  The game remained 1-1 all of the way to the 8th.

For the second straight game, the Blue Devil offense broke through late.  Against relievers Ian Schildgen (Sr./Fitchburg, Wis.) and Jacob Berendes (Fr./Shullsburg, Wis.), Stout scored three times on three singles to build a 4-1 lead.  A Kacey Bass home run to lead off the 9th pushed the Blue Devil lead to 5-1.  Platteville went down 1-2-3 in the ninth and Stout had the sweep.

After yielding the game-opening home run, Nolan settled in vs. Stout at one point retiring nine straight Devil batters.  All told, Nolan pitched six innings, allowing just the one run on seven hits, walking two and striking out three.  He received a no decision.

Krist was perfect from the leadoff spot, notching three hits in his first three at bats and drawing a walk on his fourth plate appearance.