UWO baseball wins two games on road trip

Courtesy+of+UWO+Athletics+--+UWOs+Zach+Taylor+hits+a+double+against+Transylvania+University+March+12+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.

Courtesy of UWO Athletics — UWO’s Zach Taylor hits a double against Transylvania University March 12 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Jacob Link, Co-Sports Editor

The UW Oshkosh baseball team won two of its three games over the weekend in Lexington, Kentucky, to improve to 6-2 on the season.

The Titans hit four home runs in their three games, defeating DePauw University (Ind.) 3-2 March 11 and taking down Transylvania University (Ky.) 11-4 March 12. UWO’s lone defeat came March 11 when Oshkosh was defeated by Transylvania 4-3.

In their victory against the Pioneers (5-6) March 12, The Titans jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings after a pair of Transylvania errors. UWO’s Zach Taylor increased the Oshkosh lead to five runs when he homered to left field, but the Pioneers responded in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI fielder’s choice from Riley Hill. The Titans exploded for four runs in the sixth inning when Taylor knocked in three runs with a double to left field and Nicholas Shiu hit an RBI single that scored Taylor from second base.

An RBI single from Transylvania’s Henry Mitcham in the bottom of the sixth inning narrowed the UWO lead to six runs, but Oshkosh struck back with three runs in the next two innings to take an 11-2 advantage. The Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little too late and the Titans won their sixth game of the season.

UWO pitcher Connor Brinkman won his second game of the season, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four batters in seven innings on the mound. Matt Scherrman pitched two innings of relief for the Titans, giving up two runs on three hits in two innings. Oshkosh first baseman Zach Taylor was a triple away from hitting for the cycle, finishing the game 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, a single and four RBIs.

UWO fell behind in the fourth inning against DePauw (4-7) March 11 when center fielder Danny Glimco hit a sacrifice fly, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Oshkosh responded with a run to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after Chase Marsh hit a sacrifice fly that scored Mason Kirchberg.

DePauw’s Kyle Boyer hit into a fielder’s choice, driving in Danny Sheehan from third base and the Tigers went up 2-1 in the seventh inning. Oshkosh tied the game once again in the bottom of the eighth inning when Scherrman doubled to left field, scoring Jake Surane. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, UWO’s Connor Giusti hit a walk-off home run to left field, giving the Titans their first win of the roadtrip.

UWO pitcher LJ Waco struck out 13 batters in eight innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and walking one batter. Logan King came in as a relief pitcher in the ninth inning, giving up no runs and one hit to secure his first victory of the season. Giusti went 2-for-4 in the contest, leading the Titans with a home run, a single and a run scored to lead all UWO hitters. Oshkosh had six hits in the game, with four coming from extra-base hits.

In the only loss the Titans suffered over the weekend, UWO fell behind early in the game and was not able to complete the comeback, losing 4-3.

Transylvania opened the game March 11 with a pair of sacrifice flies in the second and sixth innings to go up 2-0. The Pioneers added a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to increase their advantage to four runs. Oshkosh cut the deficit to one run in the eighth inning after a pair of home runs from Marsh and Taylor, but that would be the closest UWO came to the Pioneers.

UWO pitcher Cameron Mulvihill gave up four runs on five hits and struck out three batters in eight innings to pick up his first loss of the season. Taylor and Marsh led the Titans with two hits each and UWO outhit the Pioneers 6-5, but Oshkosh left eight batters on base in the contest.

The Titans will play a doubleheader against the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (7-3) March 18 in Terre Haute, Indiana.