Titans Lose Slugfest With Golden Knights
Clarkson University (N.Y.) scored nine runs in the second inning and held on for a wild 16-14 victory over the UW-Oshkosh baseball team on Sunday (March 19) in Auburndale, Fla.
The inaugural contest between the teams featured 30 runs, 41 hits, 26 runners left on base, eight errors and three double plays. Each squad used four pitchers, with only one hurling more than four innings.
UW-Oshkosh (2-4) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Logan Reckert singled to drive in Jack Paulson and Tyler Kozlowski scored on a wild pitch.
Clarkson University (2-2) overcame its early deficit by scoring nine runs on 10 hits and two UW-Oshkosh errors in the top of the second inning. Cam Bando led off the frame with a triple and scored on a single by Joe Fraser, who later crossed home plate on a Titan infield error. The Golden Knights got six more run-producing hits in the inning as Brad Pearson drove in two players with a double while Nate Burns, Chris Miller, Will Coleman, Ben Knauf and Joe Stockman all knocked in one teammate apiece with a single.
UW-Oshkosh got one run back during its half of the second inning on a solo homer by Andy Brahier. The home run was Brahier's first of the season.
Clarkson University answered back with three more runs in the third inning to take a 12-3 lead. The Golden Knights scored on a Titan infield miscue, a triple by Bando and a single by Coleman.
UW-Oshkosh pulled one run closer during its half of the third inning as Johnny Eagan drove in Zack Radde with a sacrifice fly.
Clarkson University tallied three hits and benefited from a balk and two UW-Oshkosh infield errors to produce two runs in the top of fourth inning. The Golden Knights scored both of their runs on an infield throwing error.
UW-Oshkosh then scored seven unanswered runs to slice its deficit to 14-11 after seven innings. The Titans got a two-run single from Reckert and a two-run home run from Eagan in the fourth inning, a two-run home run from Radde in the fifth and a run-scoring single by Reckert in the seventh. The home runs for Eagan and Radde were their first of the season.
The teams combined for five more runs in the eighth inning to complete the scoring. Clarkson University scored its runs on a solo home run by Dom Pirro and a bases-loaded walk to Ben Knauf while UW-Oshkosh marked its runs on singles by Taylor Grimm, Paulson and Radde.
Clarkson University left two runners on base in the ninth inning while stranded one.
Clarkson University smashed 26 hits, but only four of them went for extra bases. Four players counted four hits as Coleman went 4-for-5, Bando 4-for-6 with a pair of triples, and both Pearson and Pirro went 4-for-7. Fraser was 3-for-5 at the plate while Burns went 3-for-6. Each Golden Knight starter drove in at least one while only one failed to score a run.
UW-Oshkosh's 15-hit parade included a 4-for-5 performance with four runs batted in by Reckert and a 3-for-5 effort with three runs batted in by Radde.
Mark Connor earned the pitching win and Pirro the save for Clarkson University. Connor (1-0) relieved starter Jeremy Barber in the fourth inning and pitched 3.2 innings with five hits and five runs (four earned) allowed. Pirro hurled the final 1.2 innings and held the Titans scoreless on one hit.
Jesse Sustachek (1-1) started on the mound for the Titans and took the loss after pitching 1.1 innings with six hits and just one earned run (seven total) allowed. He was replaced by Matt Wiechmann in the second inning, Nick McLees in the third and Alex Larson in the eighth. McLees, who struck out a game-high six batters, pitched 5.1 innings with 10 hits and four runs (two earned) allowed.
UW-Oshkosh returns to the field against Washington & Jefferson College (Pa.) on Monday (March 20) in Auburndale.
Photo by Jennifer Zuberbier