Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Edgewood College baseball team proved once again that they can stand toe-to-toe with the best teams in the Midwest Region and not take a back seat. However, 22nd-ranked UW-Stevens Point was able to keep the Eagles at arm's length and squeak out a pair of one run victories, 2-1 and 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon.
Game one featured outstanding pitching from both teams. Edgewood College starter Scott Winters scattered eight hits and gave up just one earned run, but suffered his second loss of the season. Winters struck out six batters and didn't give up a run after the fourth inning. Meanwhile, UW-Stevens Point's Jack Archie gave up one run and two hits in the first five innings, before yielding to Scott Williams who struck out five Eagles in the last four innings.
UW-Stevens Point (20-7) got on the board with an unearned run in the third inning and added another run in the fourth. Trailing 2-0, Edgewood College (17-11) halved the lead in the sixth inning. With runners on first and second, senior Tim Barry knocked an RBI single to left center field scoring Erik Massey from third base. However, the Pointers avoided further damage when Williams induced an inning-ending double play. The Eagles had another chance to tie or take the lead in the eighth when they loaded the bases with two outs, but senior shortstop Steve Binder was caught looking to end the threat.
Senior Jimy Landwehr went 2-for-4 to continue his amazing senior season. Treye Dennison also had a pair of hits going 2-for-3 from the leadoff position. The bottom five batters in the Eagles order went just 1-for-18.
In the second game, it was Edgewood College that scored the first run of the game. In the fourth inning, Dennison singled home Mike Selvaggi who had also singled for a 1-0 lead. However in the fifth inning, an Edgewood College error opened the door for four unearned Pointer runs and a 4-1 lead.
The game stayed that way until the ninth inning when the Eagles would rally. Seth Astroth reached on an error and Landwehr got on with a bunt single. After moving over on a ground out, Binder redeemed himself with an RBI single to trim the Pointer lead to 4-2. Binder stole second base to get into scoring position, which led to Ryan Walker's game-tying two-run single through the left side of the infield.
The excitement for the Eagles turned out to be short lived. With two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the ninth inning, UWSP catcher Jordan Rennicke doubled to center field, allowing Justin Jirschele to score all the way from first base with the game-winning run.
Landwehr led the Eagles, going 4-for-5 with a double and two stolen bases, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. The senior, who entered the game 13th in the nation in batting average, raised his season average from .490 to .505. He also recorded his 17th and 18th multiple hit games of the season. Selvaggi went 3-for-3, while Scott Ortega, Binder and Dennison all had two hits apiece.
Glenn Nowell has the hard-luck loser for the Eagles, giving up just one earned run in a complete game loss. Nowell surrendered 10 hits, one walk and hit four batters.
Edgewood College will dive back into their Northern Athletics Conference schedule this weekend. The Eagles will host Marian University on Saturday afternoon, and travel to Wisconsin Lutheran College on Sunday.
