Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A three-run third inning was enough for No. 13 Wisconsin-Stevens Point to defeat the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 5-2 at the RussMatt Invitational at Lake Myrtle on Thursday afternoon.
The Corsairs fall to 2-4 on the year while Stevens Point picks up its first win of the season.
The Pointers got on the board quick, striking in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Clint Rose (Watertown, Wisc.) drew a walk, and advanced to second when sophomore Ray Greco (Downers Grove, Ill.) singled through the hole between short and third. Senior Cody Hanke (Marathon, Wisc.) would drive in Rose when he singled up the middle.
The Corsairs would tie the game in the top of the third when freshman DeVon King (Carver, Mass.) reached on a hit by pitch and eventually steal second base. King would be driven in when sophomore Ervin Kantardzic (Roslindale, Mass.) connected, sending it down the right field line for a single.
In the bottom of the frame, the Pointers would regain the lead. Rose singled to right field to lead off the inning. Greco would advance Rose to second on a chopper back to the pitcher. Hanke drew a hit-by-and both he and Rose would advance one base on a passed ball.
Sophomore Turner Doornink (Clintonville, Wisc.) would drive home Rose on a single to third base. Wis. Stevens Point would tack on two more runs in the inning to bring the score to 4-1 before the Corsairs could get out of the frame.
In the top of the fifth, King would beat out an infield single to freshman William Iloncaie (East Troy, Wisc.) at third base and advanced on a ground out by Kantardzic. Freshman Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) drove in King on a single to left center field, just out of the reach of the leaping shortstop.
The Pointers added more run in the bottom of the sixth when Rose dropped down a sacrifice bunt, scoring freshman Kyle Mrozinski (Ashwaubenon, Wisc.) from third.
Sophomore Mac Curran (Lakeville, Mass.) picked up the loss for the Corsairs, going five innings and fanning one with two earned runs. Senior Kody McHugh (Mosinee, Wisc.) picked up the first win of the year for the Pointers, going 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and striking out six.
The Corsairs are back in action when they take on Stockton (N.J.) on Friday at Lake Myrtle, with first pitch coming at 4 p.m.
