Cole Cefalu and Zach Harazin posted the clinching hits as UW-La Crosse grabbed two walk-off victories over the UW-Oshkosh baseball team on Saturday (April 14) in La Crosse. The Titans (9-14/5-7 WIAC) now have six losses by one run this season.
The Eagles (16-8/8-2 WIAC) took both contests by a 4-3 score. In the opener, Brooks Braga tripled and came home on Harazin's ninth-inning, bases-loaded single. The nightcap required 10 innings and ended when Cefalu led off with a blast to left field.
Each squad recorded a three-run frame in the first contest. During the third, UW-La Crosse went up on run-scoring singles by Adam Cordova and Garrett Novinski. A groundout from Corey Geary plated another to make it 3-0.
UW-Oshkosh responded with three runs in the fourth after loading the bases. Brock Guetzke (Jr. • Hartford) drove in two with his single to center. Alex Mullendore (Sr. • Glendale Heights, Ill.), who had three hits on the day, then lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the contest.
The next five innings were scoreless as the teams combined for five hits. In the bottom of the ninth, Braga booked his one-out triple. Harazin followed with a grounder through the left side of the infield to end the game.
Zach Lauersdorf (win) got four outs after Tim Verthein threw the opening 7.2 frames and yielded three runs on eight hits. Guetzke started for UW-Oshkosh and allowed three runs over 5.1 innings. Matt Wells (Jr. • Little Chute) took the loss, giving up one run over three innings.
In the second contest, Travis Sindles (So. • Twin Lakes) held the Eagles scoreless into the fifth inning. Meanwhile, the Titans notched four singles during the fourth, including one by Bobby Kachel (Jr. • La Crosse) to go ahead, 1-0.
After two outs in the fifth frame, UW-La Crosse got a RBI double from Braga. The Eagles then took the lead on a wild pitch and throwing error during the seventh. Braga added a solo homer to give the home squad a 3-1 advantage.
The Titans began their ninth inning with a Guetzke single. Mullendore stepped into the batter's box next and crushed a two-run homer to tie the game. UW-Oshkosh had two runners on base to begin the 10th, but was unable to get the clutch hit that Cefalu posted in the bottom half.
Garrett Scray settled for a no-decision after pitching nine innings of three-run ball. Lauersdorf again grabbed the win, firing one scoreless frame. The loss went to Troy Mrkvicka (Sr. • Greendale), who surrendered three runs in four innings after Sindles allowed one in the first five frames.
Kyle Van Abel (Sr. • Kaukauna) topped all players with his five-hit day, while Cefalu totaled four hits and Braga three extra-base knocks. The Eagles' doubleheader sweep was their first against the Titans since 2002.
UW-Oshkosh and UW-La Crosse meet for another twinbill on Sunday (April 15).