MEMPHIS, Tenn. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baseball team fell 11-6 to Wabash on Saturday in its second game of the Rhodes Classic. An early deficit proved too much to overcome for the second consecutive day for UW-Eau Claire.
The Blugolds got off to a strong start in the top of the first inning. Drew Salyers (So. – Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe) and Nate Witte (Jr. – Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) led off the game with back-to-back singles, and Andrew Murphy (Jr. – Mahtomedi, Minn.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. UW-Eau Claire took an early 1-0 lead when Walter Johnson (So. – Minnetonka, Minn.) hit into a fielder's choice to drive in a run.
The Little Giants had an answer in the bottom half of the first. They plated four runs to storm in front, and made it a 7-1 advantage by scoring three more times in the third inning. Wabash struck again with a run in the fourth to make it 8-1.
UW-Eau Claire's lineup got rolling again in the top of the fifth. Ethan Plantz (Jr. – South Elgin, Ill./Elgin Academy) singled and Murphy was hit by a pitch, and Carson Windeshausen (So. – Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) followed by belting a three-run homer. It was the Blugolds' first home run of the season and made the score 8-4.
Wabash responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth. The Blugolds got it back in the seventh when Jacob Buysse (Fr. – Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein) ripped an RBI double to score Witte.
The Little Giants tacked on two more runs in the eighth. The Blugolds scored their final run when Windeshausen knocked an RBI double to make it 11-6.
Windeshausen finished 2 for 3 with four RBIs. Witte went 3 for 3 and score two runs. The Blugolds used six pitchers. Travis Thompson (Fr. – Laurel, Md./Reservoir) shined in relief, striking out five in two scoreless innings.
The Blugolds wrap up their trip to Memphis with a game against Augustana on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 10:30 a.m.
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