Titans Produce A Pair Of Wins Over Pioneers

Jarrett Scheelk hit home runs in both games, Chase Marsh and Hunter Staniske added homers of their own, and the UW-Oshkosh baseball team extended its winning streak to eight games with a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep at UW-Platteville on Wednesday (April 28).

UW-Oshkosh (15-10, 12-6 WIAC) remains third in the league standings following victories of 11-3 during the first game and 11-7 in the second contest. The Titans have now won 24 of their last 29 meetings with UW-Platteville (14-14, 8-10 WIAC), which fell one spot to fifth in the conference.

Scheelk, the WIAC leader with 11 home runs and 40 runs batted in on the year, also earned the win as the Titan starting pitcher during the nightcap.

Staniske's home run in the second game – his sixth this season – extended his hitting streak to 28 games. The 28-game streak is the second longest in program history and ties for fifth all-time in the WIAC. Staniske, batting .489 on the year, is now one shy of tying Jeff Zappa's Titan record 29-game hitting streak set in 1996.

The four home runs give UW-Oshkosh a WIAC-best 35 longballs this season. The Titans entered the day ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by averaging 1.35 homers per game.

During the first game of the day, the Titans never trailed after scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. UW-Oshkosh extended its cushion to 5-1 in the third frame, 6-3 during the seventh and pulled away with five unanswered runs over the final two innings.

Jake Andersen provided the Titans a 2-0 lead they would not relinquish on a two-run double before coming in to score on a wild pitch in the second inning. Andersen's two-base hit was one of five UW-Oshkosh doubles in the opener as Staniske, Connor Giusti, Eric Modaff and Matt Scherrman also recorded two-baggers. Staniske's double extended his hitting streak to 27 games in the eighth inning.

Giusti finished the game 3-for-3 and scored three times while Modaff, Scherrman and Ethan Schreier each added two of the Titans' 13 hits. Modaff drove in two runs. Scherrman registered a stolen base.

Scheelk's 10th home run of the season upped the UW-Oshkosh lead to 6-3 in the top of the seventh inning.

Titans starting pitcher Grant Yakimisky (1-1) earned his first collegiate victory, limiting the Pioneers to three runs (two earned) on six hits in six innings. He struck out one without issuing a walk.

Harry Orth tossed the final three innings for UW-Oshkosh to notch his first as a Titan. Orth was nearly perfect, ceding just one hit and striking out three.

Jason Adams was 3-for-4 with a double to pace the Pioneers, who were held to seven hits.

UW-Platteville starting pitcher Michael Greco was charged with the loss, falling to 1-3 on the year after yielding five runs (four earned) on seven hits and five walks with six strikeouts in five innings.

In Wednesday's second game, UW-Oshkosh immediately overcame its only deficit of the day by scoring four runs in the top of the third inning in response to UW-Platteville's single tally during the bottom of the second frame.

The Titans claimed the lead to stay via a pair of unearned runs for a 2-1 advantage. Schreier tacked on a run-scoring single and Scheelk delivered an RBI double to increase the UW-Oshkosh cushion to 4-1 in the third frame.

Clinging to a 5-2 edge after five innings, Schreier hit an RBI single in the sixth frame before Scheelk and Marsh both homered for the Titans during the seventh. Marsh's home run was a three-run shot that gave UW-Oshkosh a 10-2 lead. Marsh, who homered for the first time this year, is the 12th different Titan to hit a longball in 2021.

Staniske, once again seeking his first hit of the game in his final plate appearance, extended his hitting streak to 28 game in style, launching a solo home run to left-center field to cap the scoring.

Marsh and Modaff were 3-for-4 for the Titans. Modaff walked twice, scored a pair of runs and stole two bases. Marsh drove in his first three runs of the season while Scherrman doubled twice, walked and scored two runs.

Scheelk, who doubled and homered at the plate, pitched the first 6.1 innings to pick up the win for the Titans and improve his season record to 5-1. Scheelk scattered eight hits and three walks while allowing six runs (five earned) and striking out eight.

Pioneers starting pitcher Sam Arnold (2-2) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on just one hit across the first two innings. He walked three and struck out one.

Jonathan Kelso and Wyatt Molitor were among five Pioneers to collect two hits during the nightcap. Kelso also hit a home run while Molitor had a team-leading three RBIs.

UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville conclude their four-game regular season series with a WIAC doubleheader Saturday (May 1) at Tiedemann Field.