Cody Koback, the WIAC Position Player of the Year, demonstrated his versatility Friday, providing the game winning hit and picking up the win on the mound as UW-Stevens Point defeated Hamline University 5-1 in the 10:00 game of the
Whitewater Regional of the NCAA III Baseball Championship Tournament. Koback and Hamline's Dylan Olson threw up zeros on the scoreboard for the first three innings. In the top of the fourth Justin Jirschele doubled down the right field line and Casey Barnes' two out single broke the deadlock. Hamline tied it in their half of the fourth, but Koback hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season with one out in the sixth to provide what proved to be the winning run. The Pointers added two more on a throwing error in the eighth, and three singles pushed across the final tally in the ninth. Koback, 6-1, went into the eighth, allowing ten hits, walking one and striking out five. Piper rightfielder Tony Rogers led both teams with a 3x4 game at the plate. UW-SP, 34-9 and 2-1 in the regional, will face host UW-Whitewater, 34-11 overall and 2-0 in the regional, at 4:00 Friday. Hamline finishes the season 29-15.
