19th-Ranked Titans, Eagles Split WIAC Opener

Michael Swift (So. • Kenosha) crushed a tiebreaking three-run homer to give UW-Oshkosh one win during its doubleheader against UW-La Crosse on Sunday (April 7) at Tiedemann Field. The Titans (12-2/1-1 WIAC) are ranked 19th by D3baseball.com.

The Titans used Swift's long ball in the seventh inning to capture the opener, 7-4. UW-La Crosse then took the nightcap, 13-8, after scoring nine times in the fourth and fifth frames.

Robbie Kleman (Fr. • Oshkosh) had an outstanding day at the plate with six hits, including a 5-for-5 performance in game two.

Both squads tallied once in the opening frame of the first contest. Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, UW-Oshkosh loaded the bases for Bobby Kachel (Sr. • La Crosse). He came through with a three-run double that put the Titans ahead.

UW-La Crosse (8-6/1-1 WIAC) came back with a Brooks Braga single and Cole Cefalu's RBI groundout to tie the score, 4-4, during the sixth.

In the seventh, Doug Beattie (Sr. • Escanaba, Mich.) and Michael Polcyn (So. • Ripon) reached base with walks. Swift then stepped up and drilled one over the right-centerfield wall for the 7-4 final margin.

Travis Sindles (Jr. • Twin Lakes) earned the victory, allowing one earned run over the final four innings. Starter Joe Pavlovich (So. • Denmark) went five frames and surrendered one ER.

The Eagles' defeat went to Tim Verthein, who allowed six ER in 6.1 innings.

UW-Oshkosh amassed an early 5-0 lead in the second game. Polcyn recorded a two-run double, while Kachel and Kleman each booked a run-scoring hit.

A four-run fourth inning and a five-run fifth propelled the Eagles to victory. After Ben Morgan ripped a two-run double to make it 5-3, Cefalu launched two-run homer to give UW-La Crosse a 6-5 lead. The Eagles tacked on three more runs during the fifth with two errors and a wild pitch.

Tyler Kamps (Sr. • Appleton) did everything he could to start a comeback, blasting solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

The Eagles put the contest away with three runs in the seventh, using a Cordova double and a Cefalu single.

Kevin Johnson allowed eight runs over seven innings but still received the win. UW-Oshkosh had James Lacy (Jr. • Shawano) allow six ER in 4.2 frames for the loss.

Cefalu and Cordova totaled four hits apiece, as the Eagles outhit the Titans, 17-16. UW-Oshkosh was hurt by four errors.

These two teams will meet again at Tiedemann Field on Monday (April 8).

By Jon Feyen