Titans Settle For Doubleheader Split With Raiders
Harry Orth and Connor Brinkman combined to pitch a one-hit shutout in the opener as the UW-Oshkosh baseball team split two games against Milwaukee School of Engineering on Sunday (March 20) in Glendale.
UW-Oshkosh (5-5) defeated Milwaukee School of Engineering, 3-0, during the first game of the day before falling by an 11-8 score on a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning of the nightcap.
In Sunday's first contest, the Titans broke up a scoreless pitcher's duel with a run in the top of the fifth inning on a Jake Andersen single that plated Mason Kirchberg. UW-Oshkosh later tacked on insurance runs during the eighth and ninth innings as Nicholas Shiu crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the eighth frame and Zach Taylor drove in Matt Scherrman to cap the scoring.
The run support was more than enough for Orth and Brinkman. The duo combined to allow just a leadoff triple in the home half of the fifth inning and five walks while striking out 14. Orth pitched the first five innings, yielding one hit and three walks with eight strikeouts. Brinkman then pitched the final four frames in hitless fashion with six strikeouts.
Orth improved his season record to 2-1 with a 2.61 earned run average on the year. Brinkman picked up his first collegiate save and lowered his earned run average to 0.86.
Kirchberg collected two of UW-Oshkosh's seven hits.
Milwaukee School of Engineering starting pitcher Nolan Vincent (0-2) suffered the loss despite allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits with 10 strikeouts in eight innings.
During the nightcap the Titans owned a 7-0 cushion heading in to the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Raiders responded with seven runs in the home half of the ninth frame before Blake Hall hit a three-run walk-off homer with two outs during the 10th.
Hall went 2-for-5 with five runs batted in to pace Milwaukee School of Engineering (4-8) as the Raiders salvaged the final contest of a four-game series with UW-Oshkosh this year. The Titans swept a doubleheader from Milwaukee School of Engineering by scores of 8-4 and 5-4 last Sunday (March 13) in Glendale.
Jeffery Stanish (1-0) was credited with the win for the Raiders, retiring the only two batters he faced in the top of the 10th inning.
Scherrman (0-1) was charged with the loss after ceding five runs on four hits across 1.2 innings pitched.
UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Cameron Mulvihill did not factor in the decision after tossing eight scoreless innings on four hits without issuing a walk and striking out 10.
Scherrman and Taylor both homered for the Titans in the sixth inning. Scherrman later doubled home Mason Schultz to give UW-Oshkosh a 7-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Schultz and Scherrman each had two of the Titans' 11 hits.
Micah Overley sparked the Raiders comeback with a three-run homer that pulled Milwaukee School of Engineering within 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Raiders then pulled even at 7 following a Francis Ryan sacrifice fly.
UW-Oshkosh reclaimed an 8-7 lead on Andrew Deardurff's triple in the top of the 10th inning that scored Chase Marsh.
The Titans open Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at home with doubleheaders against UW-Eau Claire next Saturday and Sunday (March 26-27) at Tiedemann Field.
Photo by Jennifer Zuberbier