UW-Whitewater, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, fell to UW-Stevens Point 11-1 in the WIAC Tournament championship game Saturday afternoon at Prucha Field in Whitewater, Wisconsin. With the victory UW-Stevens Point earns the league's automatic berth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. UW-W will await word of a possible at-large berth, which will be announced Monday.
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With two outs and men on first and second, junior designated hitter Sam Spurney hit his sixth home run of the season to put UW-Stevens Point in front 3-0. UW-W combined a walk, a single and a fielder's choice to get on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Freshman centerfielder Cody Koback got that run back with his fifth homer of the year to make it 4-1 Point after two.
With one out in the third, two Pointers drew walks and Spurney struck again, connecting for his second three-run shot of the day to increase the UW-SP lead to 7-1. One inning later Spurney, again, made UW-W pay with a two run single, 9-1.
Senior second baseman Kyle Cummings closed the scoring with a two run double in the fifth. The Pointers began their rally after two outs.
Whitewater had three hits in the game. Senior right hander Kyle Berry went the distance for the Pointers to up his mark to 6-4. Whitewater used five pitchers in the game. Spurney went 3x4 with eight runs batted in and two runs scored to lead the Pointer's ten hit attack.
The WIAC tournament title game marks the seventh time the Warhawks and Pointers have met this season. April 4 UW-W won 7-2 and 9-7 in Stevens Point. UW-W also took two in Point April 6, 7-5 and 7-5. The two schools also matched up three times over the two days of this WIAC tournament, with the Pointers winning 12-8 Friday and Whitewater edging UW-SP 3-2 earlier Saturday. Because of the double elimination format for the top two seeds in the tourney (WW #1, SP #2) Whitewater's win in the first game Saturday, giving both teams one loss, the championship had to go the distance to determine a winner.
For additional information: John Vodenlich, UW-W coach
