Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team split a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) doubleheader with UW-Stout Wednesday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Eagles won the opener, 11-4, before the Blue Devils came back to take the nightcap, 7-5. UW-L is now 16-15 overall and 8-9 in the WIAC while UW-Stout is 10-23 overall and 4-14 in the conference.

In the opener, the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Adam Cordova tripled and Garrett Novinski followed with a two-run home run.

UW-L made it 4-0 in the fourth inning. Novinski opened the inning with his second home run of the game and Alex Cordova had a run-scoring sacrifice bunt to knock in Trevor Burmeister.  Novinski added his fourth RBI of the game in the bottom of the fifth as Brooks Braga scored on a Blue Devils' throwing error.

UW-Stout cut the deficit to 5-2 in the top of the sixth as Austin Littmann and Santiago Morales hit back-to-back home runs. UW-L responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by Alex Cordova's two-run home run. The Eagles added three unearned runs in the sixth.

Braga scored on a passed ball in the eighth to give UW-L a 11-2 lead. Morales finished the scoring with a two-run home run in the ninth after a Littmann single.

Joel Effertz (5-2) earned the win for UW-L, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing five hits and two runs with three strikeouts.

Eight of nine starters had at least one hit for the Eagles. Braga, Novinski and Burmeister each had two hits. Novinski was 2-for-5 with two home runs, two runs scored and four RBI while Braga scored three times. Alex Cordova had  three RBI while Adam Cordova scored twice.

Dan Britts (2-6) took the loss for UW-Stout. He went 5.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, 10 runs (five earned) and three walks with four strikeouts.

Morales finished 3-for-4 with two runs, three RBI, two home runs and a double. Littmann was 2-for-4 with two runs, one home run and one RBI.

In the nightcap, UW-Stout took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on Charlie Meyer's three-run home run. UW-L came right back with four runs in the bottom of the first on three hits. Braga singled with one out and scored on Cole Cefalu's RBI triple to cut the lead to 3-1. Cefalu then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Adam Cordova's sacrifice fly. Novinski drew a walk and scored on Burmeister's triple down the right field line to tie the game at 3-3. Burmeister then scored on a UW-Stout fielding error.

The Eagles took a 5-3 lead in third as Cefalu scored a throwing error. The Blue Devils took a 6-5 lead with three unearned runs in the top of the fourth. Kasey Kruse gave UW-Stout the lead on a two-out RBI single. The Blue Devils added a run in the fifth as Matt Guida singled and scored on Brett Vavra's double.

Mark Kowalke (1-5) suffered the loss for the Eagles, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs (three earned) and three walks with four strikeouts. Ben Cejka went 4.2 innings of relief, allowing two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

Braga and Novinski each had two hits, one run and one RBI in the nightcap. Cefalu scored twice.

Adam Widder (3-1) picked up the win for UW-Stout, going 4.2 innings in relief. He allowed three hits while striking out two. Cole Wynveen started, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing four hits, five runs (three earned) and four walks with one strikeout.

Meyer was 3-for-5 with a run scored, three RBI, one double and one home run. Guida finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, May 4 hosting 23rd-ranked UW-Stevens Point starting at noon.