An early start time proved to be a wise move for the UW-Stevens Point and UW-Platteville baseball teams as they were able to play one game of Sunday’s scheduled doubleheader before the rains became too much and forced cancellation of the second game.
Originally scheduled for noon, the teams pushed the game up two hours and needed every extra minute for their three-hour and 10 minute marathon won 15-5 by the Pointers that included 21 hits, 10 errors and 12 walks. The game still ended early as the Pointers scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to win by the 10-run rule, but the final two innings were played in a steady rain that made the field unplayable for the second game. With rain forecasted throughout the remainder of the day and Monday, the second game has been cancelled and will not be made up.
UW-Stevens Point took advantage of two Pioneers’ errors in the first inning and scored four unearned runs capped by a two-run single by sophomore Brian Stoneberg, who made his first career start. In fact, 10 of the Pointers' 15 runs were unearned after seven Pioneers' errors.
The Pointers went ahead 6-1 after the second inning as Chuck Brehm and Jake Frombach each had run-scoring singles, but UW-Platteville battled back to cut the lead to 6-5.
Pioneers’ pitcher Kyle Brudos came out of the bullpen to retire his first 11 batters faced and hold the Pointers scoreless over the next three innings. Meanwhile, UW-Platteville’s offense added three runs in the third and scored another in the top of the sixth off Pointers’ starter Travis Kempf. Brandon Hemstead entered the game with runners at first and third and two outs in the sixth and recorded a strikeout to preserve the one-run lead.
The Pointers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth and Stoneberg hit a two-run homer in the seventh for a 9-5 lead. Frombach made it 10-5 with a run-scoring single and then capped the game with a two-run single in the eighth to give the Pointers the 10-run margin.
The Pioneers (6-7, 0-3) play host to UW-La Crosse Wednesday at the University of Dubuque. The first pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
Related Links
UW-Platteville came up against two hot UW-Stevens Point pitchers and came away with two losses to open the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season Saturday.
Jordan Zimmerman tied a Pointer record with 14 strikeouts in the 7-2 UWSP win in the opener, while Josh Perkins threw a three-hitter in a 10-0 win in the second game to complete the sweep.
Ross Bennett had two hits in each game for the Pioneers, who fell to 6-6, 0-2. The Pointers improved to 6-5, 2-0.
The same two teams play again Sunday in Stevens Point.
Related Links