11-inning Thriller in Game 1 swings momentum into Game 2 for an 11-4 win
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team secured their 9th tournament title in program history with a win over UW-Oshkosh in the 2025 WIAC Baseball Championship. After forcing a decisive game two in an 11-inning thriller, the Warhawks kept the momentum in their favor to cruise to an 11-4 win to claim the crown.
The Warhawks batted first in game one, coming out of the elimination side of the WIAC Tournament bracket. Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) led off the inning with a single, and scored the first run with the help of a few errors by the Titan defense.
UW-Oshkosh took the lead with a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the second, and kept the Warhawks from rounding in the next two frames. The third and fourth innings both ended with a “double” play, a 643 and then strike-them-out-throw-them-out.
UW-Oshkosh extended their lead in the 5th, hitting a solo shot to take a 3-1 lead. But Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) answered back to cut the lead back to one with his own solo jack in the top of the 7th.
The Warhawk defense and pitching kept working through the Titan order to keep the game close, it finally paid off with Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hitting the tying single in the top of the 9th with two outs.
In the bottom of the 9th, UW-Oshkosh had runners in scoring position with one out, but Brandon Brust (The Woodlands, Tex./The Woodlands) got the Warhawks out of the jam, with a swinging strikeout and a weak pop-up.
Both teams were held without a run in the first extra inning. The Warhawks were thrown out at home, to keep the game tied at 3-a-piece.
The Warhawks broke the tie in the top of the 11th, with Paden scoring two on a single. Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) added an insurance run with two outs to put the Warhawks up 6-3.
Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) secured the save grabbing a quick two outs. The Titans managed two bases runners, but were stranded after a pop up to end the game.
In game two, the Warhawks switched back to the home team and a three-up-three-down sent the Warhawks to the bottom of the first quickly. UWW loaded up the bags, but the Titans ended the inning without a run.
The Warhawks took the first lead of the game with an Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) solo home run in the bottom of the third. The Warhawk defense kept UW-Oshkosh in check as well, not allowing more than one base runner through six innings.
A rally in the bottom of the 6th kept swinging the Warhawks forward. The Warhawks scored six runs, all coming from two-RBI doubles from Holland, Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port), and then Cootway to put the Warhawks up 7-0.
UW-Oshkosh ended the shutout in the seventh, with two out singles to score two runners.
The Warhawks answered back quickly though, Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) scored from first with help from a single by Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) and an error in the outfield. Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) hit another homer to break the double digit mark on the scoreboard.
Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) finished the last three innings on the mound for the save, with George Hansen (Superior, Wis./Superior) earning the win after pitching the first six innings.
The NCAA Selection show is scheduled for Monday, May 12th. The Warhawks will find out their placement in the NCAA Tournament during the selection show.
