UW-L Sweeps Doubleheader at UW-Stout

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Menomonie, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse baseball team earned a doubleheader sweep at UW-Stout Wednesday afternoon at Nelson Field. The Eagles won the opener, 11-10, and the nightcap, 8-2. UW-L improves to 14-14 overall and 7-9 in the WIAC while UW-Stout falls to 11-22 overall and 3-17 in the conference.

In game one, the Eagles tallied four times in the top of the first as Darren O'Donnell and Mike Schmidt had run-scoring singles while Dusty Otto had an RBI sacrifice fly. The Blue Devils came back to score three runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Eric Paul's two-run single.

UW-L added a run in the third on Schmidt's sacrifice fly and another in the fifth on a UW-Stout passed ball, scoring Otto. Storm Gram had a three-run double in the sixth and Otto an RBI single to give the Eagles a 10-3 lead, but the Blue Devils scored three times in each of the sixth and seven innings to cut th lead to 10-9. UW-Stout tied the contest at 10-10 in the bottom of the eighth on Tim Schneider's home run.

The Eagles scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth. Lance Poppy singled with one out and with Erick Muhlenbeck pinch-running, Muhlenbeck stole second. Corey Poppitz then knocked home Muhlenbeck with a single.

Mike Brehm (2-1) picked up the win for UW-L, going 2.1 innings, allowing one hit, one run and two walks with three strikeouts. Britton Wolf started, going 5.2 innings, allowing 11 hits, six runs (four earned) and three walks with one strikeout.

Schmidt was 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Eagles while Gram finished with three runs and three RBI. Josh Weber and Otto scored twice while Otto also added two RBI.

In the nightcap, UW-L scored a run in the first and second innings to lead 2-0. O'Donnell had an RBI double in the first scoring Weber while Weber had a run-scoring single in the second knocking in Otto. Travis Kerr had a two-run single in the fourth inning as the Eagles scored four runs overall to lead 6-0. UW-Stout cut the lead to 6-2 with runs in the fourth and sixth, before UW-L scored twice in the ninth on RBI singles from Schmidt and Poppy.

Ross Benitz (4-4) earned the win, going 5.0 innings, allowing three hits, one run and three walks while striking out seven. Tim Larson pitched 3.0 innings, allowing three hits and one run with one strikeout. Ryan Leedle pitched a scoreless ninth for UW-L.

Weber was 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI while Schmidt, Otto and Tony Peterson each had two hits.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, April 26 hosting UW-Whitewater at noon in a doubleheader at North Campus Field.