The UW Oshkosh baseball team took five out of its six games on the road over the past week. (April 10 and 11-12) The Titans split a doubleheader against the No. 1 nationally ranked UW-Whitewater Warhawks and swept all four games at UW-Eau Claire.
The first game of the doubleheader at Whitewater was scoreless for the first two innings until a triple from Warhawk catcher Aaron Holland sparked a four-run inning for UWW in the bottom of the third. The Warhawks were then able to put up two more runs due to a two run homer in the next inning. UWO was able to respond in the sixth with two runs to make it 2-6, unfortunately for the Titans the deficit was too much to overcome as UWW won the first game 9-2.
The Titans were able to go toe to toe with the No. 1 team in the second game. Sparked by a walk from Zach Taylor and a single from Carter Stebane. The Titans were able to get two across to claim a 2-0 behind an rbi single from Braydon Skenandore that scored Taylor and a double steal that scored Stebane. After the Warhawks scored their first run in the 3rd behind a sacrifice fly, the Titans were able to respond. In the top of the fourth, with two runners in scoring position, Skenandore was able to get them both in with a ground rule double to make it 4-1 Titans. UWW did not go down without a fight, the Warhawks not only were able to keep the Titans scoreless for the next four innings. They were also able to score two runs to go into the ninth only down 4-3. The Titans in the ninth inning were able to put it away with an RBI bunt from Jack McNamara and a two out bases loaded walk from Jake Surane to make it 6-3. Despite allowing a double in the ninth, Connor Brinkman closed it out to earn the save and complete the 6-3 upset win over the top ranked Warhawks. Parker Thompson earned the win after going two innings pitched and only allowing one earned run from two hits while striking out two.
The Titans carried the momentum into the weekend series at UW-Eau Claire. The Titans made quick work of the Blugolds by not only sweeping UWEC, but outscoring them in all four games 43-7. In the doubleheader on April 12, the first game set the tone for how the weekend would go. UWO opened up the scoring in the first game behind a two-run home run from Skenandor in the second inning to go up 2-0. Two innings later, the Titans would score three more runs behind a three run homer from Logan Schill to make it 5-0 Titans. In the seventh inning, a double from Mason Kirchberg sparked a five-run inning to give the Titans a seven inning shortened 10-0 win. In the second game, there was even more offense. Again like the first, the Titans opened up the scoring in the second inning. This time behind a four-run inning sparked by a homerun from Taylor. UWO would respond by scoring three combined runs in the next two innings to go up 7-0, eventually cruising to a 17-5 win. Josh Jansen pitched all seven innings in the first game, earning the win while holding the Blugolds to only three hits and struck out six. Brett Gaynor earned the win in game two, pitching 6.1 innings while allowing five runs and striking out seven.
The only close game of the series came in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, April 13. In a 12 inning pitchers duel, UWO was able to deliver the only blow of the game in the 12th behind an RBI single from McNamara and an RBI triple from Schill to make it 2-0 Titans. Ryan Richter who came in during the 10th, closed out the 2-0 extra innings win for the Titans. UWO was able to cruise to a 14-2 win the following game to close out the four-game sweep over the Blugolds. With the big week, the Titans earned themselves a spot back in the national rankings at No. 23.
UWO will hope to continue the winning streak as the Titans will return home to Tiedemann field at Alumni Stadium to face off against the UW-River Falls Falcons this weekend. This is the first season that UWRF is competing in division III baseball since 2001.
The Titans will open up the series against UWRF on Friday, April 18, with both games starting at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Then on April 19, which will be senior day for the Titans, games will start at noon and 3 p.m.
