DAVENPORT, Fla. (March 21, 2024) – Coming off a 21-5 victory on Wednesday afternoon, the Western New England baseball team could not match their offensive showing against the Pointers of the University of Wisconsin-Steves Point on Thursday morning, coming away with a 9-1 loss.

Records:

• Western New England: 6-6
• Wisconsin Stevens-Point: 4-4

How it Happened:

Both teams would grab outstanding starting pitching in the top and bottom half of the first inning, with Eddie Murray shutting down the top three hitters in the Pointers lineup in order, going down 1-2-3. The Golden Bears first three in the lineup would follow suit, going down in order in the top of the inning, with WNE being the road team in the mid-morning matchup. In the bottom of the second, Wisconsin-Stevens Point would connect to their first hit of the game, which would then result in all nine batters in the order coming around to hit as the Pointers would grab four runs in the inning, an RBI single to score one, a two RBI single to left center to score two, while a sacrifice fly would plate the Pointers last run in the bottom of the second as Stevens-Point would come around with four runs on five hits while still leaving the bases loaded in the inning. Murray would last just 1.2 innings for the Golden Bears, giving up all five hits while giving up four runs and a walk while hitting one batter. Murray would throw 37 pitches.

Neither team would plate a run in the third inning, while Western New England grabbed their best chance to score in the top of the fourth inning after a leadoff single from Kohtaro Shimada got the Golden Bears going. Jack Loftus would be hit by a pitch with two outs, putting runners of first and second with two outs, though the Golden Bears would not be able to capitalize on their opportunity with runners on base, leaving both aboard, still trailing 4-0.

A two-run home run from the Pointers would give UWSP a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning off Greg Nivison, who would give up that lone hit in the inning and strike out one. WNE would come back with a run of their own in the top of the sixth inning after Sean Jamieson would single through the right side of the diamond, while Jack Loftus would come through with a near home run that fell just short of the fence, scoring Jamieson on the play nonetheless, putting WNE's first run up on the board. The Pointers would respond with a run off Demitri Boulas in the bottom of the sixth, grabbing a double down the right field line, which scored one. Western New England would get out of the inning when Cam Heeman got a flyout to right field, though the Pointers would come around with a six-run lead after six innings of play.

The Golden Bears would record no hits in the seventh and eighth innings, while the Pointers would add to their lead in the bottom of the eighth inning off Todd Grammatico, grabbing an RBI single and an RBI groundout in the inning to take an eight-run lead. Zach Drewry would record Western New England's final hit of the ballgame in the ninth, as the Golden Bears would fall 9-1 to Wisconsin Stevens Point on Thursday afternoon.

Inside the Diamond:

• WNE has scored 48 runs in their six games at the RussMatt Invitational this season, which includes a pair of one-run losses, including today's.
• Sean Jamieson was the lone Golden Bear to record at least two hits in the game. Jack Loftus notched Western New England's only extra-base hit.
• WNE used six pitchers on Thursday, who combined to give up 12 hits and nine earned runs while striking out seven.
• Wisconsin Stevens Point pitching struck out 12 Golden Bears, eight of them looking.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England will open CCC play on Saturday, March 23 at 11:00 AM to take on Endicott College, who is currently ranked first in the latest d3baseball.com poll. The game will take place at Lake Myrtle's Main Field in Auburndale, Florida.