Titans Hang On To Defeat Pioneers
Robbie Kleman went 4-for-4 with a home run, Max Keough pitched into the ninth inning with a career-high 10 strikeouts, and the UW-Oshkosh baseball team hung on a for a 2-1 victory over Carroll University on Tuesday (April 26) at Tiedemann Field.
After scoring its lone run in the ninth inning and advancing the potential tying run to third base, Carroll University had a runner thrown out at the plate following a rundown to end the game.
UW-Oshkosh (13-15-1), which has won all four meetings with Carroll University (11-15) since 1994, collected eight hits while the Pioneers were held to five.
Kleman opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning before notching singles in both the fourth and sixth frames and doubling in the eighth.
Keough (2-2), who set down 11 straight batters during a stretch from the fourth through eighth innings, picked up the win after allowing an unearned run on five hits and two walks in 8.1 innings pitched.
Matt Sabel retired the only batter he faced on one pitch and earned his second save of the season in two-thirds of an inning.
Keough gave up a single to Hunter Frey to lead off the game, but Keough recorded a strikeout for the first out and UW-Oshkosh catcher Jensen Hinton gunned down Frey attempting to steal second base. Keough went on to allow just two more singles until the ninth inning.
Kleman hit his fifth home run of the season to lead off the home half of the second inning against Carroll University starting pitcher Brian Jones.
Keough struck out the first two Pioneers in the fourth inning. Jacob Langford singled, went to second base on an outfield error and advanced to third base on a wild pitch, but Keough struck out his third batter of the inning to preserve the shutout.
UW-Oshkosh's Andy Brahier reached first base on an error to lead off the home half of the fourth inning. Kleman followed with a single, but Jones induced a double-play groundout, with Brahier advancing to third base on the play. Sam Schwenn then drove home Brahier with the eventual game-winning run on a single to left field.
Caleb Emmer struck out to begin the Carroll University eighth inning before pinch hitter Zach Meyer snapped Keough's string of 11 straight retired batters with an infield single.
Johnny Eagan led off the UW-Oshkosh eighth inning by reaching first base on an infield error. Kleman then hit a one-out double off of Pioneers relief pitcher Matt Risch and Tyler Kozlowski followed with a walk to load the bases. Risch escaped the threat by striking out Schwenn and getting David Lund to ground out.
Carroll University's Dylan Grove hit a one-out double in the ninth inning off of Keough, who was seeking his first complete game. Grove went to third base and Clayton Schmitt reached first on a fielding error. Langford followed with a single to score Grove and end Keough's outing.
Sabel entered the contest and got Alex Kermendy to hit into a fielder's choice on the first pitch, moving Schmitt to third base. After Kermendy broke for second base, Sabel threw to third base and caught Schmitt in a rundown that ended when Sabel tossed to Brahier, the UW-Oshkosh first baseman, who applied the tag to end the contest.
Hinton added two hits for UW-Oshkosh while Langford had a team-best two hits for the Pioneers.
Jones was charged with the loss after allowing both UW-Oshkosh runs (one earned) on five hits in five innings pitched.
Carroll University's Aaron Roth, Jake Sweet and Risch combined to allow just three hits in three scoreless innings of relief.
UW-Oshkosh returns to conference play when it hosts UW-Stevens Point for doubleheaders on Saturday (April 30) and Sunday (May 1).