Late Three-Run Innings Lift Titans Past Pioneers
UW-Oshkosh tied the score with three runs in the sixth inning, took the lead with three unearned runs in the eighth and held on for a 10-8 baseball victory over Carroll University on Wednesday (May 4) in Waukesha.
UW-Oshkosh (16-17-1), which also defeated Carroll University (13-18), 2-1, on April 26 in Oshkosh, owns a 6-1-1 record in its last eight non-conference games.
Jack Paulson led the Titans with three hits while Andy Brahier, Tyler Kozlowski and Noah Polcyn each added two of UW-Oshkosh's 10 hits. Robbie Kleman and Kozlowski drove in two runs apiece, and Logan Reckert scored three runs.
The teams combined to use 16 pitchers, including 10 by Carroll University.
UW-Oshkosh's Chris Atwood pitched two perfect innings of relief in the sixth and seventh frames, and the Titans reclaimed the lead for good with three runs on just one hit in the eighth inning.
Jake Sweet, the Pioneers' ninth pitcher of the contest, hit Reckert with one out in the eighth inning. Sweet recorded a strikeout for the second out, but Reckert went to second base on a wild pitch and Kleman reached on an infield error. Kozlowski scored Kleman with a single for an 8-7 UW-Oshkosh lead, and Kleman and Kozlowski both came around to score on another infield error.
Carroll University pinch hitter Caleb Emmer tripled with one out in the ninth inning, and Hunter Frey hit a two-out single to cut the Pioneers' deficit to 10-8. Carroll University loaded the bases on consecutive walks, but UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Lucas Gregory struck out Jacob Horner to preserve the win.
Atwood (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory while Gregory notched his second save of the year.
The Titans scored two runs in the top of the first inning against Pioneers starting pitcher Austin Edge before Carroll University answered with three runs in the home half of the frame against UW-Oshkosh starter Ryan Wilkening.
After Reckert walked and Brahier singled, consecutive balks by Edge allowed Reckert to score the game's first run. Kleman gave UW-Oshkosh a 2-0 lead with a run-scoring single.
Joe Huss and Jacob Langford singled to lead off the Carroll University first inning, and Dylan Grove followed with a three-run home run to give the Pioneers a 3-2 advantage.
The Titans tied the score at 3 on a two-out, run-scoring single by Polcyn in the second inning against Pioneers relief pitcher Alex Pronschinske. Conner Funnell reached first base on a two-out, infield error and advanced to second base on a wild pitch ahead of Polcyn's hit.
Brady Durni helped Carroll University reclaim a 4-3 lead with his single in the bottom of the second inning.
Mark Carew, who relieved Pronschinske at the start of the third inning, gave up a double to Brahier, hit Kleman with a pitch and walked Kozlowski to load the bases with no outs. Carew then walked Ott to force in the tying run before departing in favor of Danny Arden, who escaped the jam by inducing a pair of infield fly outs before Durni gunned down Kleman attempting to score from third base.
New UW-Oshkosh pitcher Scott Gorsuch retired the first two batters in the third inning, but the Pioneers went on to score three unearned runs in the session on three hits, one walk and two errors.
Clayton Schmitt sparked Carroll University's two-out rally with a single. After advancing to second base on an infield error, Schmitt scored the go-ahead run on a single by Frey. Zach Meyer then reached on an outfield error, and Michael Jerik drove home Frey with a single.
After Gorsuch walked Durni to load the bases, UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Max Keough, who went on to toss 2.1 scoreless innings, threw a wild pitch that allowed Meyer to score and put Carroll University in front with a 7-4 lead.
Both teams stranded two runners in the fifth inning before UW-Oshkosh started its comeback in the sixth. The Titans loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Polcyn and a walk by Reckert against Pioneers pitcher Cameron Godinsky. Brahier followed with a run-scoring groundout, Kleman with a sacrifice fly and Kozlowski knotted the score at 7 with a run-scoring single.
Frey collected three of Carroll University's 11 hits.
Sweet was charged with the loss after yielding three unearned runs in one inning pitched.
UW-Oshkosh concludes its regular-season schedule with doubleheaders at UW-Platteville on Friday and Saturday (May 6-7). The Titans need to win just one contest in the four-game series to secure a spot in the four-team WIAC Championship that will be held May 13-14 in La Crosse.