Pointers remain tied for first after ninth-inning comeback
For the Gazette
WHITEWATER – Down by two runs entering the ninth inning, the UW-Stevens Point baseball team (18-5, 13-3) pushed across five runs to earn a split at No. 8 UW-Whitewater (19-4, 13-3) and remain in a tie atop the league standings. UWSP fell in the first game, 11-1, before the ninth-inning rally propelled the Pointers to a 9-6 win in game two.
Matt Baumann (New Berlin) got the decisive hit, a bases-clearing double with two outs in the ninth. It was one of three hits in game two.
Bradley Comer (Rhinelander) collected five hits over the twin bill. He scored two runs and drove in another. Payton Nelson (Wausau) had three hits with three RBIs and a run scored.
Game 1 – UWSP, 1; UWW, 11
With two outs in the top of the first, Nelson belted a solo home run to give UWSP an early lead.
The Warhawks tied the game in the bottom of the first on three hits.
The wheels fell off for the Pointers in the second as UWW scored seven runs on five hits and five UWSP errors. The Warhawks added two more runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to complete the scoring.
The Pointers got back-to-back hits to begin the fourth by Nelson and Comer, but both runners were stranded.
Caleb Krommenakker (Rudolph) and Nathan Krommenakker (Rudolph) each threw 3.0 innings and combined for four strikeouts.
Game 2 – UWSP, 9; UWW, 6
The Pointers went down by a run in the second as UWW converted consecutive hits into a run.
Comer singled with one out in the fourth and moved to second on an error. Two batters later, Quin Henwood (Appleton) knotted the game at 1-1 with an RBI single.
Jakob Boos (Littleton, CO) drew a one-out walk in the fifth. Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, IL) doubled to put two in scoring position. With two away, a wild pitch gave UWSP the lead. Nelson followed with an RBI infield single, but after loading the bases, UWSP settled for a 3-1 advantage.
Baumann and Kyle Finger (Clintonville) hit back-to-back doubles in the sixth to push the lead to 4-1. The lead only lasted until the bottom of the frame when UWW plated three runs on four hits.
The Warhawks took the lead in the seventh with two runs on three-consecutive hits to begin the inning.
Down two entering the ninth, UWSP got a leadoff walk from Boos. Duddleston singled and after a fielder’s choice, the Pointers had runners at the corners. A wild pitch put two in scoring position and a sac fly by Nelson got UWSP within one. Comer singled up the middle to tie the game with two outs. Consecutive walks by Lucas Luedtke (River Falls) and Henwood loaded the bases for Baumann. He cleared the bases with a double to right-center for the win.
Austin Syvertson (Randolph) went 5.2 in the start. He struck out three and didn’t allow a walk. Sidney Ferry (Paw Paw, MI) tossed the final 3.0 to pick up the win. He struck out two, walked none and scattered a pair of hits while holding UWW scoreless.
WHITEWATER – Down by two runs entering the ninth inning, the UW-Stevens Point baseball team (18-5, 13-3) pushed across five runs to earn a split at No. 8 UW-Whitewater (19-4, 13-3) and remain in a tie atop the league standings. UWSP fell in the first game, 11-1, before the ninth-inning rally propelled the Pointers to a 9-6 win in game two.
Matt Baumann (New Berlin) got the decisive hit, a bases-clearing double with two outs in the ninth. It was one of three hits in game two.
Bradley Comer (Rhinelander) collected five hits over the twin bill. He scored two runs and drove in another. Payton Nelson (Wausau) had three hits with three RBIs and a run scored.
Game 1 – UWSP, 1; UWW, 11
With two outs in the top of the first, Nelson belted a solo home run to give UWSP an early lead.
The Warhawks tied the game in the bottom of the first on three hits.
The wheels fell off for the Pointers in the second as UWW scored seven runs on five hits and five UWSP errors. The Warhawks added two more runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to complete the scoring.
The Pointers got back-to-back hits to begin the fourth by Nelson and Comer, but both runners were stranded.
Caleb Krommenakker (Rudolph) and Nathan Krommenakker (Rudolph) each threw 3.0 innings and combined for four strikeouts.
Game 2 – UWSP, 9; UWW, 6
The Pointers went down by a run in the second as UWW converted consecutive hits into a run.
Comer singled with one out in the fourth and moved to second on an error. Two batters later, Quin Henwood (Appleton) knotted the game at 1-1 with an RBI single.
Jakob Boos (Littleton, CO) drew a one-out walk in the fifth. Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, IL) doubled to put two in scoring position. With two away, a wild pitch gave UWSP the lead. Nelson followed with an RBI infield single, but after loading the bases, UWSP settled for a 3-1 advantage.
Baumann and Kyle Finger (Clintonville) hit back-to-back doubles in the sixth to push the lead to 4-1. The lead only lasted until the bottom of the frame when UWW plated three runs on four hits.
The Warhawks took the lead in the seventh with two runs on three-consecutive hits to begin the inning.
Down two entering the ninth, UWSP got a leadoff walk from Boos. Duddleston singled and after a fielder’s choice, the Pointers had runners at the corners. A wild pitch put two in scoring position and a sac fly by Nelson got UWSP within one. Comer singled up the middle to tie the game with two outs. Consecutive walks by Lucas Luedtke (River Falls) and Henwood loaded the bases for Baumann. He cleared the bases with a double to right-center for the win.
Austin Syvertson (Randolph) went 5.2 in the start. He struck out three and didn’t allow a walk. Sidney Ferry (Paw Paw, MI) tossed the final 3.0 to pick up the win. He struck out two, walked none and scattered a pair of hits while holding UWW scoreless.
