Stevens Point earns playoff bid with WIAC title

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Cody Koback is greeted at home plate after scoring on Justin Jirschele's fifth-inning home run.
Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com 

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – UW-Stevens Point used a complete-game shutout from Joel Delorit and belted out 16 hits against UW-Oshkosh as it cruised to a 10-0 victory and captured the 2011 WIAC tournament championship Saturday afternoon.

The Titans (25-14) won the elimination game earlier in the day, 2-1, on a walk off suicide squeeze by Derek Hiroskey against UW-Whitewater (32-10).

UW-Stevens Point began the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning as the first three batters reached safely setting the stage for Kevin Thomas. The lefty took an offering from UW-Oshkosh’s starter Phil Schreiber and drove it to the gap in left center field for a three run double. Dan Douglas drove home the fourth run of the inning on single to give the Pointers the early advantage.

Douglas continued his hot streak in the Pointers fifth as he led off the inning with his first home run of the season. Cody Koback then singled and Justin Jirschele hit a monster home run over the right field fence for the second and third runs of the inning. Jared Surman plated Casey Barnes later in the inning on a single to right field to put UW-Stevens Point up 8-0 after five innings.

Point continued their fine offensive day in the next inning as Sean Gerber and Barnes both had RBI singles to left field.

Delorit (5-3) finished off the Titans in the top half of the seventh in order to seal the victory and the WIAC Tournament championship. The left hander allowed just three hits over seven innings while striking out seven batters and walking one.

Douglas and Gerber led the Pointers with three hits each while Koback, Barnes and Surman finished with two. Douglas finished the tournament 7-for-9 with two runs and four RBIs.

Koback also scored two runs on the day bringing his season total to 68 which ties him for the all-time record with Ryan Jones.

Schreiber (3-6) picked up the loss as he allowed seven runs in four plus innings of work.

With the victory, UW-Stevens Point (32-8) received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Pointers will find out Monday when and where they will be playing next.