| 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.