Titans Complete Season Sweep Of Blugolds
Matt Scherrman hit a pair of home runs and drove in 11 runs on the day to lead UW-Oshkosh to a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader sweep at UW-Eau Claire on Friday (April 2).
Schermann launched a three-run homer and a grand slam during the first game of the day as the Titans pulled away to defeat the Blugolds, 18-5, behind Scherrman's eight runs batted in. Scherrman, who hit his first collegiate home runs in the opener, then plated three more runs, including the game winner on a bases-loaded walk with two outs as part of a nine-run ninth inning during a 13-4 UW-Oshkosh victory in the nightcap.
UW-Oshkosh (6-4, 4-0 WIAC) swept the regular season four-game series with UW-Eau Claire (0-10, 0-4) after securing wins of 17-7 in eight innings and 5-4 on Wednesday (March 31) in Oshkosh. The Titans extended their winning streak to 12 games over the Blugolds in the series that was renewed this season after a 25-year hiatus. UW-Eau Claire, which did not have a varsity baseball program from 1996-2020, is still seeking its first win versus UW-Oshkosh since May 11, 1993, and sports a 5-38 record against the Titans since 1956.
The Titans hit five home runs during the first game Friday and added another in the second contest. UW-Oshkosh, which last launched five homers in a game April 20, 2013, against UW-Superior, was also hit by eight pitches during Friday's opener to establish a WIAC record. The Titans, whose eight hit-by-pitches in one game are tied for ninth in NCAA Division III history, were plunked five times during the eighth frame alone to set another WIAC record and finish one shy of the Division III record of six in one inning set by The College of Wooster (Ohio) in 2007. Macalester College (Minn.) owns the Division III record with 12 hit-by-pitches during a game in 2012.
UW-Oshkosh never trailed during the first game of the day and reclaimed the lead for good at 6-2 following a four-run top of the fifth inning. The Titans later tacked on three runs in both the sixth and eighth innings before putting the game away with a six-run ninth frame.
Jarrett Scheelk's solo home run provided UW-Oshkosh a 1-0 lead in the second inning before an Eric Modaff solo homer during the fifth frame gave the Titans a 3-2 advantage. Scherrman then blasted a three-run homer in the fifth inning that upped the UW-Oshkosh cushion to 6-2, Griffith Lukes launched a two-run homer for an 8-4 lead in the sixth frame, and Scherrman hit a grand slam during the ninth that created the game's final score.
UW-Oshkosh's record-setting hit-by-pitch total started with Ethan Schreier in the sixth inning. The Titans scored their three runs in the eighth inning without the aid of a hit as Jake Andersen, Schreier, Modaff, Hunter Staniske and Sean Cummins were each plunked during the frame. Andersen and Cummins were also hit by pitches in the ninth inning to increase the total to eight overall.
Scherrman, who added a walk with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, became the first Titan to drive in eight runs in a game since Blake Berger at UW-Stout on April 10, 2009. Tim Jorgensen holds the single game UW-Oshkosh record with 10 RBIs against UW-Eau Claire on May 14, 1995. Scherrman is also the first Titan to homer twice in one game since Zack Radde accomplished the feat at UW-Platteville on May 4, 2019.
Staniske went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases for the Titans, who outhit the Blugolds, 10-8, and drew seven walks in the opener.
Harry Orth (1-1) picked up his first career win with 4.2 innings in relief for the Titans, holding UW-Eau Claire to one run on four hits and one walk with a career-high five strikeouts. The earned run was the first allowed by Orth in 6.2 innings pitched this season.
Orth came on in relief of UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Will Michalski, who struck out a season-best seven and gave up four runs on four hits and four walks across the first 4.1 innings.
Henry Pitsch was 3-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in to pace the Blugolds.
UW-Eau Claire starting pitcher Will Mosinski (0-3) was charged with the loss after giving up six runs on seven hits, including three home runs, and three walks with seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
Blugolds relief pitcher Jake Fischer hit six UW-Oshkosh batters and yielded four runs (three earned) despite not allowing a hit in 2.2 innings.
During the nightcap the teams were locked in a 4-4 tie after five innings until UW-Oshkosh erupted for nine runs after two outs in the top of the ninth frame thanks, in part, to a near-record nine bases on balls.
Modaff sparked the fateful UW-Oshkosh ninth inning with a one-out bloop single. Schreier followed with a walk, but a fielder's choice put Titans at the corners with two outs. The Blugolds intentionally walked Scheelk, who crushed his second solo home run of the day to knot the score at 1 during the second inning, to load the bases for Scherrman. Scherrman worked the count full and coaxed a walk to plate Modaff with the go-ahead run.
The next six UW-Oshkosh batters following Scherrman also walked as Connor Giusti, Zach Taylor, Modaff and Schreier were each credited with RBIs during the long stretch of eight consecutive free passes that included runs scoring on a balk and a passed ball. Staniske plated the final two runs of the onslaught with a single that marked just the Titans' second and final hit of the inning.
The Titans' nine walks in the ninth inning are tied for second most in Division III history, joining Rowan University (N.J.), which also drew nine bases on balls during one inning in 1992. The Division III record for walks in an inning is 10 by Ohio Wesleyan University in 1992.
UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Trevor Niedzwiecki capped his spectacular outing by retiring the Blugolds in order during the home half of the ninth inning. Niedzwiecki (1-1) earned his first win as a Titan after tossing five hitless and shutout innings. He finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts while issuing a pair of walks in relief of Scherrman, who allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts during the first four frames.
The Titans collected 14 walks and outhit UW-Eau Claire, 7-3, during the nightcap.
Scherrman went 2-for-5 at the plate in the second contest with a double, walk, two runs and three RBIs.
Scheelk's home runs Friday were his second and third of the season. Modaff now also has a team-leading three homers on the year while Lukes hit his first this season and second career in the first game of the day.
Titans pitchers have now struck out at least 10 batters in eight of the team's 10 games this season, increasing their total to 101 punchouts in 78.1 innings on the year.
Elyjah Johnson accounted for two of UW-Eau Claire's three hits and drove in two runs.
Blugolds relief pitcher David Janssen (0-1) suffered the loss, ceding four runs on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
UW-Oshkosh returns home to host UW-Whitewater for a WIAC doubleheader Tuesday (April 6) at Tiedemann Field. UW-Whitewater (9-2, 3-1 WIAC) is ranked 16th in the country by D3baseball.com.