Box Score La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team fell 6-1 to ninth-ranked UW-Stevens Point Tuesday afternoon in the opening game of a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) doubleheader at Copeland Park. The second game of the doubleheader was postponed due to rain and lightning in the bottom of the first inning and has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 15 at Copeland Park. The teams will play three games April 15 with a start time yet to be determined.
UW-Stevens Point, ranked ninth on this week's American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III Poll, improve to 13-4 overall and 4-1 in the WIAC in Tuesday's win while UW-L drops to 10-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference. UW-Stevens Point is also ranked seventh on the D3baseball.com Top-25 Poll while UW-L is receiving votes.
In Tuesday's opener, the Pointers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit. Riley Spetz walked to lead-off the game and advanced to second on a passed ball. He moved to third on a groundout and scored the game's first run on Kyle McHugh's sacrifice fly.
The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the second inning.
Travis Buxton-Verstegen singled to start the frame advanced to second and third on back-to-back UW-Stevens Point passed balls. After
Ben Morgan walked and an infield pop-out, Buxton-Verstegen came in on a
Bryce Barsness fielder's choice.
The game remained 1-1 until UW-Stevens Point tallied five runs on six hits in the top of the seventh. Pete Strommen's single knocked in Cody Hanke for a 2-1 Pointers' lead. Taylor Carlson added an RBI single to score Jimmy Coady and Ben Gerber's bunt single brought in Sawyer Schultz. Spetz finished the scoring with a two-run double scoring Carlson and Gerber.
Troy Kenkel (2-1) suffered the loss for UW-L, going 6.1 innings, allowing six hits, six runs and one walk with two strikeouts.
Jake Stern went 2.2 innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out one.
Taylor Kohlwey, Morgan and
Alex Cordova each had two hits for UW-L as the Eagles finished with seven overall. The team left 10 runners on base.
Mitch Beau (3-0) earned the win for UW-Stevens Point, pitching 8.0 innings, allowing seven hits, one run (unearned) and five walks while striking out three.
Seven different players had a hit for the Pointers while Spetz finished with two RBI.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, April 11 with a doubleheader at third-ranked UW-Whitewater at noon.
