MENOMONIE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baseball team picked up its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) victory of the season on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader at UW-Stout. The Blugolds took the first game 13-7 for their first conference win of the year, but the Blue Devils countered with an 8-2 victory in the rematch.
A huge showing from the lineup helped UW-Eau Claire (7-21, 1-13) take Game 1.
Carson Windeshausen (Jr. - Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) led the charge by belting a solo home run in the sixth inning before adding a three-run homer in the seventh. Windeshausen was one of three Blugolds with three hits or more in the victory.
Walter Johnson (Jr. - Minnetonka, Minn.) had a season-high four hits and scored three runs, and
Drew Salyers (Jr. - Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) added three hits and a pair of runs from the leadoff spot.
Diego Caicedo (Jr. - Pompano Beach, Fla./Northeast) chipped in with two hits for the Blugolds, including a three-run homer in the third.
Jack Sandvik (So. - Pewaukee, Wis.) put UW-Eau Claire ahead early with a two-RBI single in the first. The Blugolds plated three runs in the opening frame and led 3-2 until Caicedo hit his home run to make it 6-2 in the third. UW-Stout clawed back across the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-6 lead, but Windeshausen tied it with his solo homer in the sixth. Salyers scored the go-ahead run on an error in the sixth, and Windeshausen later put the game away with his second home run of the day.
Nicholas Meuser (Fr. - Burnsville, Minn.) earned the win on the mound via six innings of work. It was his second victory of the season.
Draza Dupor (Fr. - Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) pitched three scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts to earn a save, his second of the season. He matched the program's season record with two saves.
After knocking 14 hits in the first game, the Blugolds' bats couldn't keep up the pace in Game 2. The Blue Devils held UW-Eau Claire to four hits. UW-Eau Claire's only two runs came on an error in fourth. Meanwhile, UW-Stout all eight of its runs across the first four innings and never looked back.
Dustan Green (Jr. - Prior Lake, Minn.) went 2 for 3 in Game 2.
James Schutte (Jr. - New Richmond, Wis.) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and struck out six. He held the Blue Devils to two hits.
The four-game series will wrap up on Sunday, April 21, with another doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. in Menomonie.
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