Baeball Hits 8 HRs; Softball Splits

Baseball Team Drills Eight Home Runs in Home-Opening Doubleheader

Aided by a strong wind blowing straight out from home plate, the UW-Stevens Point baseball team hit eight home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Concordia (Wis.) Tuesday in its home opener at University Field.

The Pointers hit three homers in a 12-6 opening game victory and slugged five more in a 15-4 win in the nightcap. UW-Stevens Point has now won nine of its last 10 games to improve to 13-4 for the season.

Ryan Ivy provided most of the offense in the second game, finishing four-for-four with seven RBI’s, including a three-run homer in the fourth inning and a grand slam in the sixth. The sophomore from Kenosha also finished two-for-four in the first game.

Concordia (3-12) scored all of its runs in the first game via home runs, hitting four long balls. Three of the Falcons’ homers were solo shots, including a leadoff home run by Mark VanHart to open the game.

UW-Stevens Point responded in the bottom of the first when Sam Molski hit a two-out solo homer and Pat McCann followed with a two-run shot. McCann added a solo home run in the third inning to give the Pointers a 6-1 lead. Eric Bennett added a run-scoring single later in the inning to make it 7-1.

The Pointers scored four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run double by Mike Wendorf to extend the lead to 11-1. Justin Duerkop pitched five innings to earn the win.

In the second game, UW-Stevens Point scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning as Rob Govek and Kevin Fry each hit two-run home runs and Mike McCann hit a two-run triple.

Molski hit a solo home run in the second inning for an 8-1 lead before Ivy’s two blasts. The Pointers scored 12 of their 15 runs off home runs. Bill Verbrick pitched the first four innings for the win and Jeremy Zimmerman pitched three innings of relief for the save.

UW-Stevens Point will play Friday at Augsburg at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis.

Softball Overcomes Heartbreaking Loss With Romp to Split With Platteville

After suffering a heartbreaking 9-6 loss in the opening game of Tuesday’s doubleheader with UW-Platteville, the UW-Stevens Point softball team responded with a 10-2 rout of the Pioneers to split its home opener.

In the opener, the Pointers were one strike away from victory, but just two pitches later, trailed by three runs. Trailing 6-4 in the seventh, UW-Platteville had the bases loaded with two outs when Beth Shaw hit a two-run single with two strikes to tie the game. Kim Gleason followed with a three-run homer on the next pitch to give the Pioneers the lead.

The Pointers were unable to score in the bottom of the seventh, despite a leadoff double by Kelly Rutta.

Rutta delivered much of the Pointers’ offense during the first game, smacking two-run homers in both the first and third innings as UW-Stevens Point led 4-3.

UW-Platteville tied the game in the fourth inning, but the Pointers regained the lead on run-scoring singles by Cari Briley and Sarah Berg for a 6-4 advantage. Jamie Lowney suffered the loss, despite seven strikeouts.

The Pointers wasted no time responding in the second game, scoring four runs in the first inning on three hits and two UW-Platteville errors, including a two-run single by Briley.

The Pioneers scored single runs in the second and third innings, but the Pointers took a 7-2 lead when Nikki Best drew a bases-loaded walk and Rutta ripped a two-run double.

UW-Stevens Point won the game on the eight-run rule, scoring three runs in the seventh inning on two hits, two walks and two UW-Platteville errors.

Karen Guckenberger improved to 7-0 for the season, striking out seven and walking one in the complete game victory. UW-Stevens Point is now 10-5-1 overall and 1-1 in the WIAC. UW-Platteville is now 8-10 overall and 1-1 in the WIAC.

The Pointers and Pioneers both compete in the UW-Stout tournament Saturday and Sunday in Menomonie.

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