Vikings Spoil Titans' Season Opener In 13 Innings
North Park University scored three runs in the top of the 13th inning and held on for a 4-1 win over the UW-Oshkosh baseball team in the season opener for both teams on Saturday (Feb. 27) in Sauget, Ill.
The Vikings had two outs and the bases empty in the decisive inning, but Jacob Woosley walked and Hunter Landry reached on an infield error. Cam Adams followed with a walk to load the bases against UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Lucas Gregory.
Alec Strachota greeted new Titan pitcher Colan Treml with a run-scoring single, and Mitch Jordan added a two-run single.
UW-Oshkosh's Tyler Kozlowski walked and Logan Reckert singled to lead off the home half of the 13th inning, but Viking Mario Creecy Jr. entered from the bullpen and induced a double-play grounder and a fly out to end the game.
Ray Cekus, Jordan and Strachota each had two of North Park University's 10 hits.
Eric Bacon earned the win in relief for the Vikings after entering in the ninth inning and tossing 3.1 scoreless innings despite yielding six hits and one walk.
Both starting pitchers allowed just one run in 16 combined innings. UW-Oshkosh's Peter Jewell gave up an unearned run in nine innings pitched, while North Park University's Brent Kessinger tossed seven frames of one-run ball on four hits and one walk. Jewell ceded eight hits and five walks, and recorded two strikeouts.
The Vikings opened the scoring in the fourth inning on a Titan infield error with one out and runners on first and second base.
UW-Oshkosh knotted the score in the eighth inning when Jack Paulson led off with a walk, stole second base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Johnny Eagan.
The Titans had the potential winning run in scoring position during the ninth, 10th and 11th innings. The Vikings stranded the winning runners with a strikeout to end the ninth frame, a double play to cap the 10th and a groundout to complete the 11th.
Robbie Kleman, Kozlowski and Noah Polcyn all collected two of UW-Oshkosh's 12 hits.
Gregory was charged with the loss after yielding three runs (one earned) in 3.2 innings pitched. He walked five and struck out four.
The 13-inning contest was one shy of tying the longest game in UW-Oshkosh history. The Titans lost a 1-0 decision in 14 innings to Saint Mary's University (Minn.) on March 25, 2012 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh remains in Sauget to play Concordia University Chicago (Ill.) on Sunday (Feb. 28).
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Zuberbier