The UW Oshkosh baseball team split its doubleheader against UW-Stout, defeating the Blue Devils 15-4 in the first game before falling 10-8 in the second game, at Wakanda Park in Menominee April 14.

With UWO’s loss to the Blue Devils (11-7, 4-6 WIAC) in the second game of the doubleheader, Oshkosh (16-6, 7-3 WIAC) moved into a tie with Whitewater (14-7, 7-3 WIAC) for second place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings.

UWO designated hitter Nicholas Shiu, who is batting .310 on the season, had his first multi-home run game of his career in the first game with a solo shot and a two-run homer to help the Titans to their 18th win of the year.

Oshkosh starting pitcher Connor Brinkman remained undefeated on the season, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings pitched to pick up his sixth win of the season. Nick Loizzi came in to record the final out in the game, striking out one batter and not allowing a baserunner.

Stout jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Jacoby Endreas smashed a three-run homer to right-center field. Shiu responded with a two-run blast for the Titans in the second inning and UWO cut the deficit to one run.

Oshkosh took the lead for good in the third inning when UWO’s Matt Scherrman hit an RBI single and Zach Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Titans a 4-3 advantage. UWO tacked on three runs in the fourth inning from an Ethan Schreier RBI single and a pair of throwing errors from Stout’s catcher and third baseman.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Blue Devils infielder Colin Hageman singled to right field, driving in a run and narrowing the Oshkosh lead to 7-4. In the fifth inning, Shiu and Mason Kirchberg each hit solo home runs as UWO’s advantage grew to five runs.

The Titans exploded for six runs in the sixth inning behind RBI singles from Taylor, Connor Giusti and Jake Andersen, increasing Oshkosh’s lead to 15-4 and ending the contest due to the NCAA’s 10-run rule.

In the second game, Stout third baseman Parker Hagebock hit two doubles and a home run to nudge the Blue Devils past UWO 10-8. Oshkosh was outhit by UWS 15-10 in the contest and left nine runners stranded on base.

UWO’s Matt Sorrells allowed four runs on six hits in 2.1 innings pitched to pick up his second loss of the year. Trey Tennessen pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing six runs on eight hits and striking out five batters. Connor Walters pitched the final two innings of the game, allowing one hit and no runs.

Offensively, Kirchberg finished the game 2-for-4 with two singles, two RBIs and a run scored to lead all Titan batters. Chase Marsh went 2-for-3 in the contest with two singles, a run scored and a stolen base.

UWO opened the scoring in the first inning when Taylor hit an RBI double to give Oshkosh a 1-0 lead. Stout responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer from Justin Sedin to give the Blue Devils a 2-1 advantage. UWS put two more runs on the board in the second inning after L Bowers stole home and Hagebock drove in a run with a double to give Stout a three-run lead.

The Titans narrowed the Stout advantage to 4-3 in the third inning when Kirchberg hit a two-RBI double to center field. The Blue Devils responded with four runs in the fourth inning from solo home runs from Hagebock and Endreas, as well as a J Schnell two-RBI double, to give Stout an 8-3 lead.

Stout scored two more runs in the sixth inning, but in the eighth inning UWO erupted for five runs to narrow the Blue Devil advantage to two runs. Oshkosh’s Jack McNamara drove in a run with an RBI single before Jake Surane hit a two-RBI double to right field and Schreier drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Taylor drove in a run off a ground out to the second baseman but the Titans were blanked in the final frame as UWO’s six game win streak came to an end.