Titans Take Doubleheader From Oles
James Lacy scattered four hits over six innings in the opener while Trent Whitcomb tallied four hits in the nightcap as UW-Oshkosh defeated the St. Olaf College (Minn.) baseball team twice on Monday (March 24) in Auburndale, Fla.
The Titans (3-1) won the first game, 7-1, and the second contest, 9-6, to increase their all-time record against the Oles (6-6) to 20-5.
Lacy was impressive as he allowed just three singles and a double before being replaced by Chaz Mohr in the seventh inning. Prior to departing, Lacy struck out five batters and permitted just four runners to reach third base. The run charged to him was unearned.
Tim Maus started on the mound for the Oles and pitched into the fifth inning. He took the loss after allowing three hits and three runs.
UW-Oshkosh totaled six hits, including two by Luke Gajewski. St. Olaf College was held to five hits, one each by five different players.
Courtesy of an infield error, UW-Oshkosh took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Titans then loaded the bases in the fourth and scored on a Tyler Kozlowski single and a Bobby Kachel hit-by-pitch.
UW-Oshkosh scored three times in the fifth inning, with the big hit being a run-scoring double by Gajewski. The Titans made the score 7-0 on Trey Demler's infield ground out in the sixth inning.
St. Olaf College prevented the shutout when Sam Maus belted a two-out double in the seventh inning.
The second game went in UW-Oshkosh's direction right from the start. The Titans built leads of 2-1 after one inning, 5-2 after two and 6-3 after three.
UW-Oshkosh scored in the first inning on a pair of ground outs by Kozlowski and Robbie Kleman. The Titans' three-run second inning featured run-scoring singles by Gajewski and Kozlowski.
St. Olaf College scored in the first inning on a single by Jack Schechinger and in the second on an infield error. In the fourth inning, the Titans scored on a sacrifice fly by Kozlowski and the Oles on a fielder's choice by Eric Tusa.
UW-Oshkosh took a 9-3 lead with one run in the sixth inning and two in the seventh. The Titans scored on a throwing error in the sixth inning and run-scoring singles by Neil Hebert and Gajewski in the seventh.
St. Olaf College made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning by scoring three runs and leaving the bases loaded, The Oles scored on a run-scoring double by Jake Mathison and a two-run double by Chris Paradise. St. Olaf College loaded the bases before UW-Oshkosh pitcher Peter Jewell got Nick Denn to ground out to end the game.
UW-Oshkosh received a third of its 12 hits from Whitcomb. He had a triple, a double and pair of singles before grounding out in the seventh inning. The Titans also collected three hits from Gajewski. Paradise had two of St. Olaf College's five hits.
Matt Sabel started for the Titans and pitched into the seventh inning to earn the win. He allowed three hits and three earned runs while totaling four strikeouts. Dane Schultz got one out in the seventh inning before Peter Jewell retired two of the four batters he faced to record the save.
Three pitchers saw action for St. Olaf College, including starter Trent Friedrich who took the loss after lasting just three innings. Friedrich allowed seven hits and six runs during the 19 batters he faced.
UW-Oshkosh plays ninth-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Tuesday (March 25) in Auburndale.
Photo by Joanna Kachel