La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team fell, 24-20, to UW-Stevens Point in game two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III best-of-three Super Regional Saturday at Copeland Park. The win by the Pointers forces a second championship game Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
UWL, ranked 13th on D3baseball.com Top-25 Poll, falls to 35-11 on the season while UW-Stevens Point, ranked 15th on D3baseball.com, improves to 33-13.
UW-Stevens Point started its scoring in the first inning as the first three hitters walked off Tyler Schmitt. After a strikeout, Kamden Oliver walked to score the first run of the game. Following another strikeout, Anthony Tomczak walked to force in another run to make it 2-0. Trent Van Ess then doubled to score three runs to make it 5-0. The Eagles would threaten in their half of the first inning as Jordan Williams led off with a single and advanced to second when Anthony Vivian was hit-by-pitch. Ty Hamilton singled but Williams was thrown out at home on the play.
The Pointers would add three runs in the second inning as they got a two-run home run from Payton Nelson and solo home run from Bradley Comer. The Eagles would get on the scoreboard in their half of the second as they got back-to-back singles by Tim Urlaub and George Seaman to start the inning. Jack Moran then doubled to score Urlaub while Seaman scored on a sacrifice fly by Williams to cut the Eagles' deficit to 8-2.
UW-Stevens Point would score 10 runs on eight hits and an error in the fourth. Brenden Canterbury doubled to drive in a run while Tomczak's single scored a run to make it 10-2. Van Ess drove in his fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly while Nelson's single scored a run making it 12-2. Comer hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot, to make it 15-2. After a hit-by-pitch and walk, Logan Homolka drove in a run with a single and Tomczak doubled to score two, giving UW-Stevens Point an 18-2 lead.
In the fifth inning, the Pointers would make it 19-2 on Comer's single scoring Logan Matson. The Eagles would score three in their half of the inning to make it 19-5. Pinch hitter Chris VandenHeuvel walked to start the fifth while pinch hitter Eli Roberts singled. With one out, Pye walked to load the bases. Ben LaRonge, pinch hitting, singled to score VandenHeuvel. Seaman drove in a run when he reached after being hit-by-pitch. Moran then reached on a fielder's choice which scored Pye to make it 19-5.
UWL scored eight runs in the sixth inning to make it 19-13. VandenHeuvel hit a three-run home run, scoring Williams (walk) and Olver (single) to make it 19-8. Roberts then walked and stole second. Hamilton and Pye each walked to load the bases. With one out, Seaman scored Roberts with a ground out while Moran singled to score both Pye and Hamilton. After Moran stole second, Williams hit his third home run of the season to make it 19-13.
Hamilton led off the seventh with a double while Pye walked. LaRonge hit his second home run of the season to cut the lead 19-16. Seaman followed with a home run of his own to make it 19-17. With two outs, Olver hit a solo home run to cut the deficit to 19-18.
UWL relief pitcher Caleb Matl allowed a walk in the eighth inning before retiring the side. UWL scored two runs to take its first lead of the game. After a fly out to start the eighth, LaRonge singled and came around to score on Seaman's second home run of the game giving the Eagles a 20-19 lead.
With one out in the ninth, Logan Matson reached on catcher's interference. Matl then got a strikeout for the second out of the inning. Nelson walked to move Matson to second. Comer followed with a single to score Matson with the tying run and Nelson came in on a UWL throwing error to give UW-Stevens Point a 21-20 lead. Kamden Oliver delivered a two-run home run to make it 23-20 and Canterbury followed with a solo home run for a 24-20 lead.
The game featured 44 runs and 41 hits, including 19 extra-base hits. The teams combined for eight doubles and 11 home runs (five frm UW-Stevens Point; six from UWL)
UWL finished with 23 hits in the game as six players recorded three. Williams, Olver, VandenHeuvel, LaRonge, Seaman and Moran each had three hits for the Eagles. Williams and VandenHeuvel each finished three RBI while Seaman totaled five. LaRonge and Moran each had four RBI. Hamilton and Seaman each scored three times while Williams, Olver, VandenHeuvel and LaRonge scored twice.
Matl (4-2) suffered the loss, pitching 2.0 innings, allowing three hits, five runs and three walks with three strikeouts. Schmitt went 0.2 of an inning, allowing one hit, five runs and five walks with two strikeouts.
UW-Stevens Point totaled 18 hits as Comer finished 4-for-6 with six RBI and four runs. Canterbury and Homolka each had three hits while Tomczak and Van Ess each had four RBI in the game. Nelson and Canterbury scored four times.
Austin Syvertson (2-2) picked up the win for the Pointers, going 2.0 innings, allowing four hits, three runs and one walk with one strikeout.