Late Runs Down Titans In Saturday Twinbill
WHITEWATER, Wis.- The UW-Oshkosh baseball team played UW-Whitewater on Saturday (April 6) where they dropped both decisions (5-2, 6-5) on late Warhawk runs.
Connor Brinkman (Jr. • New London) started on the mound for Oshkosh in the first game. He pitched 6.1 innings, striking out two while allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in his first loss of the season (3-1).
After three scoreless innings, Whitewater plated the first run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double to left center.
The Titans scored their first runs in the top of the sixth. Zach Taylor (Sr. • Long Grove, Ill.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to scored Jake Surane (Sr. • Lincolnshire, Ill.) who reached on a double. Mason Kirchberg (Jr. • Jr. • DeForest) homered in the following at-bat to give Oshkosh a 2-1 lead.
The Warhawks scored on an RBI double in the sixth inning and a 3 RBI double in the seventh to take the game one win. Brett Gaynor (Fr. • Long Grove, Ill.) relieved Brinkman after the seventh inning runs and threw the remaining 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit the rest of the way.
Connor Walters (So. • Libertyville, Ill.) threw all 8.1 innings of the second game, allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits with a strikeout.
Jack McNamara (So. • La Grange, Ill.) singled and advanced to second on a double play before a Kirchberg single to left center sent him home. Nick Shiu (Jr. • Gurnee, Ill.) then doubled to left center, scoring Kirchberg for an early 2-0 edge.
Whitewater hit a two-run home run in the third inning and recorded an RBI on a double play in the fourth to make the score 3-2.
Both teams scored in the fifth inning. McNamara scored Jack McKellips (So. • Oshkosh) on an RBI single through the left side and the Warhawks plated a run on an error.
Oshkosh then took its final lead of the day in the sixth inning. Carter Stebane (Jr. • Brillion) hit a sacrifice fly out to center field to score Kirchberg, tying the game up at 4-4. Braydon Skenandore (So. • De Pere) singled through the left, sending Shiu home for a one run lead.
A Warhawk sacrifice fly tied the game up again in the bottom of the sixth. Neither team scored in the seventh inning, and both went down in order in the eighth.
McNamara reached first on an error in the ninth inning and advanced to second when Taylor walked, but Kirchberg fouled out and Shiu grounded out to bring Whitewater up to bat. Walters forced the leadoff batter to groundout before the second batter hit a solo home run to left center to walk off the game and end the day.
The Titans will return to Prucha Field on Monday for the second set of games in the series with first pitches slated for noon and 3 p.m.