Warhawks Hosting the NCAA Trophy – Photo credit: Ryan Coleman (d3photo)
Updated 6/4/25 @ 10 p.m. to correct parking situation for celebration on Thursday.
By Broderick Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
Eastlake, Ohio — Dominant. In one of the most dominant performances in NCAA Division III Championship history, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team secured the national title with a 21-3 win over Messiah University. The Warhawks scored 74 runs [vs. their opponents’ 19] over the course of their five games at the World Series, a Division III record, to hoist the championship trophy for the third time in program history (2005, 2014). The team finished as national runner-up in 2024 to set the stage – and deliver on the high expectations – for 2025.
The Warhawks were able to get their bats to shine early as the designated away team. Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) delivered the first strike with a three-run homer. With the bats moving early, the Warhawks were on a mission.
Cade Hansen (New Braunfels, Texas/Smithson Valley) set the tone defensively as well, dealing two strikeouts right out of the gates. A groundout over to Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) created the first 1-2-3 inning of the day for Hansen.
The Warhawks tacked on two more in the second, as Jackson got on with a double. Dominic McVay followed suit with his own double to score the shortstop, with Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) bringing in McVay with a single of his own.
After just two innings of play, the Warhawks had already burst out to a 5-0 lead, replicating the first game of the World Series Final.
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) was the lone hit in the third, as Messiah’s defense was able to put a zero on the scoreboard for UW-Whitewater. However, Hansen kept moving through the order, pitching his 9th straight out of the game.
In the fourth inning, the Warhawks pushed the lead to double digits, benefitting from a few walks and wild pitches to move the juiced bases. Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) cleared the bags with a two-RBI single to cap off the inning.
Cade Hansen (New Braunfels, Texas/Smithson Valley) dealt his fourth straight 1-2-3 inning to get the bats back on the field and push the momentum forward.
In the 5th, Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) delivered the second strike over the wall, putting the Warhawks up 12-0. The Scolan homer kickstarted five straight hits for UWW. Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) connected on a triple, with Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles), Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port), and Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) all passing the bat to the next guy in the order. Jackson finished the inning with an RBI fielders choice, putting the lead at 16.
Hansen’s no-hitter came to a close in the bottom of the fifth, as the Falcons marked their first base knock on the righty. Hansen got out of the inning quickly though, forcing a 463 double play to bring the UWW offense back out.
In the 6th, the Warhawks hit back-to-back home runs. Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) hit his second of the game, hitting a huge career milestone. With the homer, Scolan tallied his 300th hit wearing the Warhawk uniform. Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) followed suit with his own home run, putting the Warhawks one run away from the 20 mark.
On the Falcons side of the frame, Messiah pushed their first runs of the day across with a four-hit inning. Max Huseboe (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) came into relieve Hansen during the inning, picking up the last two outs to finish the inning.
The Warhawks were held off the score column in the 7th, but not the hit column, as Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) recorded a single to get on base. Holland’s hit put him at 94 on the season, setting a new season record on the Warhawk program.
Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) led off the 8th, looking for a double to complete the cycle, but got on base with a walk. Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) scored him, followed by Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hitting an RBI single to put the Warhawks at 21 runs.
Messiah scored another two runs after a two-out double, but Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) finished the side with a backwards K.
In the top of the 9th, the Warhawks went three-up-three-down, going through an inning without a hit for the first time since the bottom of the third in the June 3rd game.
Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) had the call on the mound for the last three outs. After two fly outs to Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) in left, a foul pop-up to the first base side created the moment all Warhawks were waiting for. Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) made the catch, in front of the Messiah dugout, dropping to his knees as the dogpile ensued.
Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. The Warhawks’ Designated Hitter finished the week with a .615 (16-26) and a 1.963 OPS. Cootway was responsible for 10 Warhawk runs, hitting four home runs in the process.
Joining Cootway on the All-Tournament Team; First Baseman Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port), Second Baseman Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles), Third Baseman Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), Outfielder Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville), Outfielder Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South), Pitcher Cade Hansen (New Braunfels, Texas/Smithson Valley), and Pitcher Ben Lee (Amherst, Wis./Amherst).
UW-Whitewater finished the season with a 49-6 record, the most wins in one season in school history. The team swept the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships and won the NCAA Adrian (Michigan) Regional and NCAA Whitewater Super Regional to punch their ticket to Eastlake for the second straight season.
The Warhawks reached the best-of-three Championship Series after consecutive victories against Trinity (Texas), Denison (Ohio), and Rowan (New Jersey). They topped Messiah by an 18-3 score in Tuesday’s opening game of the series before completing the sweep Wednesday.
The Warhawks will return to Whitewater tomorrow, June 5, with a championship celebration welcoming them back at 7 p.m. at Prucha Field, James B. Miller Stadium, located at 910 W. Schwager Drive in Whitewater. Limited parking will be available in Lot 22 near the stadium off Schwager Drive. Update: Due to construction and Special Olympics festivities, it is recommended that you access Schwager Dr (to lot 22) from Tratt St. It appears that there will not be any other convenient parking, as lot 24 at Perkins Stadium is part of the Special Olympics and lot 11 on the north side of the Williams Center is currently closed due to reconstruction.
