UW-Whitewater lost to New York-Cortland 5-4 Friday in the opening round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III World Series in Salem, Virginia.     UW-Whitewater's post-season site

Box Score
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Post-game press conference (.wav)

Cortland scored unearned runs in the first and third, and Red Dragon hurler Katie Finch did not allow a hit for five innings.  Whitewater's lone run in that span scored with the help of two walks and a Cortland error -- but still not hits, to pull within one at 2-1 after five.

Leftfielder Lauren Cruz (Des Plaines, IL/Maine West) followed a Suzanne Gersich (Wadsworth, IL/Warren) single with a one out home run, her eleventh of the season, to give UW-W its first lead at 3-2 after six.

A Warhawk error in the bottom the seventh opened the door a bit, and eight batters later Cortland had scored three runs.  Designated player Brooke Weidman ended the game with a two out single.

Cruz upped her season RBI total to 47, one short of the school record set by Valerie Kerkman in 1999.  Cruz's homer also added to UW-W's school record total of 62 home runs.  Warhawk hurler Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) allowed just one earned run in her complete game effort, while also striking out five to bring her season total to 132, three short of the school record Heather Wendt set in 1999. 

Cortland leftfielder Emily Ringen led both teams with a 3x3 day at the plate.  UW-W did not have a player with multiple hits, but first baseman Meghann Brennfleck (Fox River Grove, IL/Cary-Grove) got on base twice by drawing walks.  Stang lowered her ERA to 1.07, flirting with the school record of 1.03 set by Terri Roemer in 1987. 

Cortland upped its record to 39-11.  UW-Whitewater, 35-10, will play Rhode Island College,                   36-8, Saturday at 10:00 (Central) in the morning.  Rhode Island lost to Louisiana College 1-0 Friday.  The NCAA III World Series, like regional play last weekend, uses a double elimination format.