|
| Nick Carpenter, Austin Syvertson and Jacob Meinholz combined for 18 strikeouts and a no-hitter in game one with Finlandia. UW-Stevens Point athletics photo |
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – UW-Stevens Point head baseball coach Nat Richter won his first game in UWSP's home opener, a 10-0 no-hitter win in eight innings over visiting Finlandia (0-4). The Pointers (2-2) completed the sweep with a 16-1 run-rule victory in game two.
Nick Carpenter (Lake Mills, Wis./Lake Mills), Austin Syvertson (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) and Jacob Meinholz (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) combined for 18 strikeouts and a no-hitter in game one.
Aaron Simmons (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) had five hits on the day with six RBI and four runs scored. He blasted a grand slam in game two and hit his 10th career triple in game one, tied for second in school history.
Payton Nelson (Wausau, Wis./West) also had six RBI on the day. He scored twice in each game and collected three hits. Lucas Luedtke (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) drove in five runs in game two while clubbing a pair of home runs.
Game 1 – UWSP 10, FU 0 (8)
Tommy Duddleston (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) started the UWSP fourth inning with a single. Simmons followed with a single and Nelson plated both runners with a double to left-center. With two down, Jakob Boos (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) hit a single to push UWSP's lead to 3-0.
Mitchell Manns (Oconto Falls, Wis./Oconto Falls) drew a walk to begin the fifth. Matt Baumann (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower) reached on a bunt single as did Duddleston. Simmons singled and Nelson followed with a two-run single. Two batters later, Bradley Comer (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) drove in two runs with a double to right-center. Boos drove in another run with a single as UWSP went ahead 8-0.
Brenden Canterbury (Waupaca, Wis./Waupaca) drew a walk and advanced on a balk to start the eighth. With two outs, he moved to third on a wild pitch. After a Duddleston walk, Simmons walked-off the run-rule win with a two-RBI triple.
Carpenter struck out 14 in 6.0 innings of work. Syvertson and Meinholz each struck out two in an inning apiece. The trio recorded the no-hitter with just four base runners allowed.
Game 2 – UWSP 16, FU 1 (7)
Nelson drew a one-out walk in the first and Simmons was hit by a pitch. Luedtke belted his first home run of the game with a three-run blast as UWSP jumped ahead early.
Connor Flanagan (Rolesville, N.C.) led off the second with a single. He stole second and moved to third on an error. Duddleston hit a sac fly to push the lead to 4-0.
The Pointers put up a 10-spot in the fourth inning. Jacob Lillge (Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute) singled, Flanagan walked and Duddleston walked to load the bases. Simmons launched a grand slam. Luedtke followed with a solo shot. Quin Henwood (Appleton, Wis./North), Comer and, for the second time in the inning, Lillge singled in succession. After another Duddleston walk, Nelson hit a sac fly. Simmons was hit by a pitch and Luedtke drew a walk with the bases loaded to cap the 10-run frame.
Zach Hanson (Gladstone, Mich./Gladstone) drew a base on balls to begin the sixth. Canterbury and Devyn Palmer (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) hit singles to load the bases with one away. Tucker Kohl (New London, Wis./New London) drove in two runs with a single down the left field line to make it 16-0 in favor of the Pointers.
The Lions got their lone run of the day on a solo home run in the seventh.
JD Schultz (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) struck out 14 in 5.0 innings to get the win. He allowed one hit and faced just two over the minimum. Nick Paulsen (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity) and Nathan Krommenakker (Rudolph, Wis./Lincoln) each pitched an inning with two strikeouts apiece.
The Pointers continue the home stand with a non-conference twin bill against UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (March 27). First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. at Zimmermann Field.