Baseball Shares Conference Title

Pointers Finish Comeback Season With Ninth Inning Rally for Conference Crown

Whitewater – Whether it was four early losses or a late four-run deficit, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point baseball team proved capable to overcome almost any deficit this season.

That fact proved true on Saturday as the Pointers completed a rally from an 0-4 conference start by using a dramatic five-run ninth inning to clinch a share of their second straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Conference title with a 15-14 semifinal victory over UW-Oshkosh at the WIAC tournament.

However, a chance at the outright conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament fell short in the title game with a 6-2 loss to UW-La Crosse. The loss put UW-Stevens Point at 28-11 overall and dealt a serious blow to the Pointers’ NCAA tournament hopes.

UW-Stevens Point, UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater all tied for the conference title with 11 wins in the regular season and tournament, marking the first-ever three-way tie in WIAC history. However, UW-Whitewater earned the conference’s NCAA tournament berth by virtue of earning the highest regular season finish.

But, for the Pointers, it was an incredible finish to a season that began with an 0-4 start with losses to UW-Whitewater and UW-La Crosse. The Pointers won their 11^th straight WIAC game and ninth straight overall game in the opener against UW-Oshkosh.

"Our guys really did a great job the last few weeks," UW-Stevens Point coach Brian Nelson said. "It’s too bad we couldn’t have gotten the NCAA bid, but to come back from an 0-4 record to win the conference title is a tremendous accomplishment."

UW-Stevens Point fell behind 5-0 and later 9-5, but rallied each time against the Titans. After tying the game at 9-9, Sam Molski hit a solo homer in the seventh for a 10-9 lead, which stood until the top of the ninth when the Titans’ Nick Henschel homered to open the inning off UW-Stevens Point pitcher Troy Bielmeier.

Bielmeier, who entered the game as the top pitcher in Division III in earned run average, surrendered five runs in the inning after pitching four scoreless innings in relief of Bill Verbrick. The Titans took an 11-10 lead on a single by Eric Roecker, added another run on a run-scoring single by Vince Mancuso and scored two more runs on a two-out error for a 14-10 lead.

However, Pat McCann and Molski each led off the Pointers’ ninth with singles and Kevin Fry followed with a walk to load the bases. Junior catcher Eric Bennett, who was just two-for-nine for the day, then drilled a grand slam to leftfield, just his second homer of the year, to tie the game.

Randy Reed then singled and moved to second on a bunt by Mike McCann. After an intentional walk to Jon Jagler, Matt Peetz hit a line drive down the rightfield line to score Reed and complete the Pointers’ fifth straight win over UW-Oshkosh.

"We showed great character in the Oshkosh game," Nelson said. "Our guys just never gave up and they haven’t all year."

Against UW-La Crosse, a 5-0 second inning deficit proved too much to overcome. The Pointers managed only solo homers by Peetz and Fry, while also hitting into two double plays in the final four innings.

"La Crosse really came to play today," Nelson said. "Give them a lot of credit for coming out here and playing great baseball."

The conference title is the Pointers’ seventh in 19 sports this season. UW-Stevens Point completed a sweep of titles in football, hockey, men’s basketball and baseball for the school year.

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