2008 Woodie Awards
Baseball drops Sunday set versus Oshkosh
Adam Gruenewald
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Lifestyle
Due to a number of defensive miscues, the UW-L men's baseball team lost the first game of their series against UW-Oshkosh Titans on Sunday by the score of 9-6.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, the first game of the series was played on Sunday because of Friday's rain.
While a gusty wind made the weather cold for fans, the Titans opened up the scoring when a leadoff double came around to score on a sacrifice fly.
La Crosse senior right-hander Britton Wolf gave up another run in the second after giving up two singles and a walk.
The Eagles would tie the game at 2 though when right-fielder Joey Casper reached on a fielder's choice and the low throw skipped into the dugout which scored designated hitter Mike Schmidt and shortstop Dusty Otto.
The Titans regained the lead in the top half of the third inning after the first three got on, the last on a bunt single when Otto shifted to his left to cover second base.
A long sacrifice fly to center scored one and Oshkosh took a 4-2 lead when second baseman Tyler Peterson let a two-out grounder get by him.
The Eagles' defensive struggles continued in the following inning when the Titans leadoff hitter, freshman Nolan Fadness from Eau Claire got things started.
Fadness, who went 4/5 on the day, got a leadoff single and the next batter dropped a perfect bunt in front of UW-L junior catcher Cory Poppitz.
Poppitz quickly reacted and threw to second, but the runner was called safe. The following batter reached on yet another bunt single.
Wolf seemed to be affected by this sequence as he would balk and throw a wild pitch before getting out of the jam, giving up 2 runs.
Poppitz said he just told Wolf to "to keep doing his job."
"As his fielders we got to do our part and help him out and get the outs for him because he's throwing outs," said Poppitz. "We just need to complete the cycle."
With the score 6-2, the Eagles bats awoke when first baseman Tony Peterson and Casper got one out singles, and Poppitz got a RBI single to left. "We knew he the stuff he had, pretty much just hitting off his fastball because he was starting a lot of guys off with fastballs," said Poppitz.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, the first game of the series was played on Sunday because of Friday's rain.
While a gusty wind made the weather cold for fans, the Titans opened up the scoring when a leadoff double came around to score on a sacrifice fly.
La Crosse senior right-hander Britton Wolf gave up another run in the second after giving up two singles and a walk.
The Eagles would tie the game at 2 though when right-fielder Joey Casper reached on a fielder's choice and the low throw skipped into the dugout which scored designated hitter Mike Schmidt and shortstop Dusty Otto.
The Titans regained the lead in the top half of the third inning after the first three got on, the last on a bunt single when Otto shifted to his left to cover second base.
A long sacrifice fly to center scored one and Oshkosh took a 4-2 lead when second baseman Tyler Peterson let a two-out grounder get by him.
The Eagles' defensive struggles continued in the following inning when the Titans leadoff hitter, freshman Nolan Fadness from Eau Claire got things started.
Fadness, who went 4/5 on the day, got a leadoff single and the next batter dropped a perfect bunt in front of UW-L junior catcher Cory Poppitz.
Poppitz quickly reacted and threw to second, but the runner was called safe. The following batter reached on yet another bunt single.
Wolf seemed to be affected by this sequence as he would balk and throw a wild pitch before getting out of the jam, giving up 2 runs.
Poppitz said he just told Wolf to "to keep doing his job."
"As his fielders we got to do our part and help him out and get the outs for him because he's throwing outs," said Poppitz. "We just need to complete the cycle."
With the score 6-2, the Eagles bats awoke when first baseman Tony Peterson and Casper got one out singles, and Poppitz got a RBI single to left. "We knew he the stuff he had, pretty much just hitting off his fastball because he was starting a lot of guys off with fastballs," said Poppitz.
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