Playing in their third game of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament, the UW-Whitewater baseball team rallied from a four-run deficit to defeat UW-Oshkosh 5-4 on Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids. The win advances the Warhawks to a game against UW-Stevens Point to be played at 3:15 pm on Saturday. The Warhawks must defeat UW-Stevens Point twice on Saturday to receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. UW-Whitewater post-season website
Box Score
UW-Oshkosh took the early 4-0 lead after an RBI double by Blake Berger in the top of the first, a wild pitch that scored Brad Demmin in the top of the third, and a two RBI single by Derek Leighton, also in the top of the third.
UW-W halved that lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Kevin Zalnis (Woodstock, IL/Woodstock) who later scored on a ground ball by Jordan Stine (Merrill/Merrill). The Warhawks added one more in the bottom of the seventh when Tom Corcoran (Rochester, MN/Rochester) singled up the middle to score Ben Kuhlmann (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest).
The Titans held the lead until the bottom of the ninth when Kuhlmann singled to left field to score pinch runner Sam Petrasko (Appleton/East) to tie the game at four. Another single by Jeff Donovan (Wauwatosa/Wauwatosa East) put runners at the corners for the Warhawks. That set the stage for Corcoran who drove the ball up the middle where it was mishandled by a Titan infielder which was enough to allow Kuhlmann to score.
The win is the first for the Warhawks when trailing after the eighth inning this season. The victory over the Titans was the third for the Warhawks in five tries this season.
Five Warhawks notched two hits and Corcoran was the only Warhawk to tally multiple RBIs with two. #Gregg Riek (Markesan/Markesan)# came on in the eighth and earned the win for the Warhawks while Jeremy Rubens took the loss for the Titans.
The loss ends the WIAC tournament run for the Titans (29-9) who will await the announcement of at-large bids by the NCAA that takes place early on Monday, May 12. The Warhawks (35-7) play UW-Stevens Point (27-14) at 3:15 pm and if they defeat the Pointers they will play another game at 6:30 pm to determine who receives the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.
For additional information:
John Vodenlich, UW-W head coach, 262-472-1420
UW-W baseball website
WIAC tournament website
UW-W post-season website
