|
Pointers Win
Heartstopper to Clinch NCAA Tourney Bid
In a tension-filled
afternoon in Wisconsin Rapids, UW-Stevens Point rallied from a two-run
deficit in the final two innings, and still had to hold off a furious charge
from top-ranked UW-Whitewater to claim a 6-5 victory and the championship of
the WIAC Baseball Tournament. With the victory, the Pointers claimed the
WIAC�s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The teams entered the
ninth inning tied 4-4. After a walk to the Pointers� Joel Hojnacki to lead
off the top of the ninth inning, Jake Frombach tried to lay down a sacrifice
bunt. The Warhawks forced Hojnacki at second allowing Frombach to reach on
the fielder�s choice. That set the stage for freshman third baseman Tim
Schlosser. Schlosser connected on a fastball from Warhawk reliever Ben
Prather and when it dropped behind the left center field fence the Pointers
had claimed a 6-4 lead. Schlosser said, �I was sitting on that fastball. I
was making sure that was the pitch and it was right down the middle.�
UW-Whitewater had one
last rally left in them in the ninth inning. A one out throwing error on
Pointer relief pitcher Matt Mehne allowed Ross Klawitter to reach second.
Dan Gnatzig then singled to put runners on the corners. After a foul out,
the Pointers had a chance to ice the game, but a short fly off the bat of
Aaron Guilbault bounced out of the glove of Pointer center fielder Hojnacki,
allowing Klawitter to score and trim the lead to 6-5. But Mehne settled down
and struck out Jason Rutz to end the game.
Mehne earned the win by
pitching the final three innings and allowing no earned runs. �He came in
and really came after their hitters. When he�s on he�s very tough to hit,
and he�s very confident in crucial situations,� said Pointer coach Pat Bloom
about his sophomore righthander
Mehne was just happy to
be in the game for the final out saying, �I thought he was going to put
Kevin (Pankow) in and I said, �Please don�t.� I wanted this last out, and I
came through.�
Matt Polomis put the
Pointers in a position to win with an eighth inning two-run home run to the
opposite field to tie the game at 4-4. He finished with three runs batted
in. Frombach and Schlosser each went two-for-five on the day.
UW-Whitewater sits at
38-6 and must wait until Sunday night to see if they will be granted one of
three at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Warhawks got two hits from
Eddie Adamson including a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning.
Klawitter went two-for-five with an RBI, while Greg Harder also had two
hits.
�I couldn�t be prouder
of our guys,� said Bloom. �We accomplished one big goal here, and we know
we�ve got a couple of big ones to take care of yet.�
UW-Stevens Point will be making their seventh appearance in the NCAA
Tournament and first since 2002. Pairings and sites for the NCAA Division
III Baseball Championship will be released late Sunday night. |
