Kozlowski's Walk-Off Home Run Ignites Titans' Sweep
Tyler Kozlowski launched a walk-off solo home run in the first game of the day and Adam Rude pitched eight strong innings in the nightcap as the UW-Oshkosh baseball team upped its winning streak to five games with two victories on Tuesday (March 24) in Winter Haven, Fla.
Kozlowski's heroics capped an 8-7 win over the Rochester Institute of Technology (N.Y.), while Rude earned his first victory as a Titan during UW-Oshkosh's 5-3 decision over Keuka College (N.Y.). Kozlowski's game winner was the first home run of his career and the Titans' first of the season.
Trey Demler and John Eagan led the Titans with four hits, two runs and two runs batted in apiece during the two victories.
In the first game of the day, UW-Oshkosh (5-4) struck for two runs in both the first and second innings but had to rally from a seventh-inning deficit.
Robbie Kleman gave the Titans a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run triple. UW-Oshkosh increased its lead to 4-0 on a run-scoring single by Jack Paulson and a groundout by Kleman.
After being held to two hits in the first four innings, the Rochester Institute of Technology (5-3) exploded for four runs on three hits and two walks in the fifth frame. Brian Battaglia got the Tigers on the board with a two-run single and Will Gorman followed with a double that scored another run. Battaglia tallied the tying run on a balk.
Luke Gajewski singled with one out in the sixth inning, stole second base and came around to score on a two-out single by Eagan that gave the Titans a 5-4 advantage, but Gorman smacked a two-run home run in the seventh frame to give the Tigers their only lead of the game at 6-5.
UW-Oshkosh reclaimed a 7-6 edge in the bottom of the seventh inning on consecutive two-out hits by Demler and Logan Reckert. Demler's single brought home pinch runner Scott Gorsuch, and Reckert's double scored Demler with the go-ahead run.
The Tigers tied the game at 7 on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and both teams stranded runners in scoring position, setting up Kozlowski's one-out, game-winning homer to left field.
Kleman doubled, tripled and drove in three for the Titans. Eagan went 3-for-5 with two runs, one run batted in, and two stolen bases. Demler and Paulson both chipped in two hits, while Paulson had two more of UW-Oshkosh's five stolen bases.
Lucas Gregory was credited with his first career win after entering with two outs in the ninth inning and inducing a fly ball out from the only batter he faced. Gregory was the fifth pitcher of the game for UW-Oshkosh, which received eight strikeouts in four innings from starting pitcher Troy Mannebach.
Battaglia and Gorman paced the Tigers' offense, combining to go 4-for-8 at the plate with three runs and five runs batted in.
David Nitsch took the loss for the Rochester Institute of Technology. He allowed four runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
In the second game of the day, Rude earned the win by striking out seven and allowing three runs (two earned) in eight innings pitched. He scattered eight hits and pitched around a season-high five UW-Oshkosh errors.
Rude worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning unscathed, and the Titans went up 3-0 in the bottom of the second frame on two hits and three walks. Gajewski drew a bases-loaded walk to open the scoring, Eagan followed with a sacrifice fly and Reckert brought home the final run of the inning with a two-out single.
Keuka College scratched across two runs in the third inning, but UW-Oshkosh pushed its lead back to 5-2 with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
The Wolfpack began the eighth inning with consecutive singles, but Rude limited the damage to one run by retiring the next three Keuka College batters.
Demler and Reckert led UW-Oshkosh with two hits apiece.
Ryan Chancellor pitched a perfect ninth inning to preserve the UW-Oshkosh win and pick up his second save of the year.
Brian Colbert went 3-for-4 to pace the Wolfpack.
Starting pitcher James Matthews suffered the loss for Keuka College (2-4) by surrendering three runs in 1.1 innings pitched.
UW-Oshkosh takes on North Central College (Ill.) on Wednesday (March 24) in Auburndale, Fla.