Saturday, April 17, 2021

No. 13 Warhawk Baseball Grinds Out Two Wins

Box Score, Game 1: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/bb18.htm

Box Score, Game 2: https://static.uwwsports.com/custompages/baseball/2021/bb19.htm

The No. 13 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team extended its active win streak to nine games Saturday with back-to-back victories over UW-Platteville in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

The Warhawks (17-2 overall, 11-1 WIAC) hung on for a 4-3 triumph in Game 1 before scoring five unanswered runs in the nightcap for a 5-2 win.

In the opener, after the Pioneers (8-12, 4-8) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, UW-Whitewater took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the second, including a two-run homer to left center by first baseman Taylor White and a wild pitch that plated left fielder Matt Korman.

The Warhawks added another in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, RBI single through the left side by centerfielder Zach Campbell.

UW-Platteville tallied in the fifth and eighth innings, but Connor Moroder pitched a 1-2-3 with two strikeouts to earn his first save of the year.

Donovan Brandl improved to 3-1, allowing five hits and two runs without a walk over seven innings. He posted a career-high 10 strikeouts in the contest.

Korman, shortstop Nick Santoro and catcher Ryan Norton totaled two hits apiece to lead UW-W, which recorded 11 hits in the game.

Game 2 followed a similar path as the Pioneers took the lead first with a run in the top of the third.

UW-Whitewater tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth as Brandl smacked a two-out, run-scoring double off the right-center field wall.

White put the Warhawks ahead for good with his second two-run homer of the day, this one way over the right field wall, to make it 3-1. UW-W added insurance runs in the seventh on a two-out base hit to center by second baseman Sam Vomhof that plated Brandl and Santoro.

Connor Spear tossed the first seven innings and moved to 2-0 for the season, allowing no earned runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts, his second straight double-digit strikeout performance. Kade Lancour and Trey Bretl each pitched one inning in relief.

Santoro, Brandl, Vomhof and catcher Ian Drays collected two hits apiece to lead the offense.

UW-Whitewater travels to UW-Stevens Point Tuesday for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Warhawks and Pointers are currently tied for first place in the conference standings.