Big Innings Doom Pioneers vs. Pointers

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point used a big offensive performance to take both ends of a doubleheader over visiting University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Wednesday afternoon.  It was the first meeting between the two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) programs this spring.  With the wins, UWSP improved to 28-9 overall and 22-4 in the WIAC, tied for first place in conference with two games left to play.  WIAC tournament play begins next week.  Platteville fell to 15-23, (8-18 in WIAC) and currently holds the #6-seed for the conference tourney.  

The two teams will play again on Saturday, May 15th, in a doubleheader at Kendall Murray Field on the UW-Platteville campus.  Start time for the opener is slated for 1pm.

WP - Casey Pickering (5-2)
 LP - Nate Jennings (3-3)

After Stevens Point struck first with four runs in the 2nd inning, the Pioneers battled back.  A Jonny Kelso (Sr./Villa Park, Ill.) RBI single in the 3rd, Wyatt Molitor (Fr./Reedsburg, Wis.) RBI in the 4th, and a 2-RBI double in the 5th off the bat of Mitchell McLaughlin (Fr./Amboy, Ill.) brought the game back to even, 4-4.

The Pointers however responded with an eight-run 5th inning that featured SEVEN two-out runs, all of which were unearned.  The big blows came via the long ball with catcher Kyle Finger hitting a 3-run home run followed later in the inning by a CF Payton Nelson 2-run shot that cleared the fence in left field.

Now down 12-4, Platteville attempted to mount a comeback, responding with three runs in the 6th.  With one out and one on, Anders Lind (Fr./St. Paul, Minn.) laced an RBI double scoring Logan Kozak (Sr./Waukesha, Wis.).  The next batter, Ross Krist (Jr./Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) hit a booming home run to right and just like that the Pioneers had drawn to within 12-7.

That is as close as they would get however as UWSP added some insurance runs in the 7th thanks to Nelson's 2nd 2-run home run of the game.  He would finish the opener 5-5 with 5 RBI.

Krist went 3-5 from the leadoff spot, improving his season batting average to .297.

WP - Nick Carpenter (4-1)
 LP - Jake Schneider (0-2)

Starter Jake Schneider (jFr./Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) kept the Pioneers close through six innings, scattering eight hits and only allowing 3 earned runs while striking out four. When Platteville mounted a two-out rally in the seventh via a Molitor walk followed by a Jake Wegner (Fr./Reedsburg, Wis.) RBI double, the Pioneers were down just 4-2.

Point responded once again with a big inning scoring six runs in the bottom of the 7th.  The frame saw the first five UWSP batters reach safely and eventually come around to score as the home team would send 10 batters to the plate.  A two-run triple from LF Matt Baumann in the 8th capped a 3-run inning and ended the game via run rule, 13-3.

Nelson continued his hot hitting in game two, following up his game one performance by going 3-5 in the nightcap including another home run, his third on the day.

Jason Adams (So./Burlington, Wis.), serving as the Pioneer designated hitter in game two, went 2-3 with a walk.  Kelso stole his WIAC-leading 25th base in the 8th.