Linfield College defeated UW-Whitewater 5-1 in the first round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III World Series at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin Friday. UW-W, 39-9, plays again Saturday at 1:15 against the loser of Friday's late game between Trinity College, 41-0, and New York-Cortland, 42-3 in the double elimination tournament. UW-Whitewater's post-season site
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Whitewater got out in front, with Jordan Stine (Merrill/Merrill) hitting a two-out home run in the second, his fifth of the year, to get UW-W on the board.
Linfield began a relentless game of well executed small ball in the third. The leadoff batter bunted for a hit, was sacrificed to second, and after a walk, shortstop David Bachofner singled in the tying run.
Whitewater's Mike Jacobson (Oak Creek/Oak Creek) and Linfield's Garrett Dorn didn't allow any more runs, tossing goose eggs through the sixth.
In the bottom of the seventh Linfield went back to their game, starting with a single. That was followed by a Whitewater error on a sacrifice attempt, and another sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Yet another bunt brought in a run to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead after seven.
Linfield broke the game open in the eighth, with the first two batters reaching on singles. UW-W changed pitchers and Linfield catchers Drew Van Cleave hit a three run homer to end the scoring at 5-1.
Garrett limited Whitewater to three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out nine. Bachofner went 3x4 to lead Wildcat batters. Jacobson's line read seven innings, four earned runs, eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Greg Reik pitched the last inning for the Warhawks.
Linfield, 35-11, will play the Trinity-Cortland winner Saturday at 7:45 p.m.