The Warhawks took an early lead in game one by scoring in each of the first four innings. A
Kevin Zalnis (Woodstock, IL/Woodstock) homer in the bottom of the first scored the first two runs of the game. Another homer in the bottom of the second, this time by
Matt Beyer (Janesville/Parker), gave UW-W a 5-0 lead. A lead-off homerun by
Ben Kuhlmann (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest) in the bottom of the third extended the lead to 6-0.
Mike Kenseth (Milwaukee/West Allis Hale) then scored on an error in the bottom of the fourth to give UW-W a seven run cushion.
Superior fought back with two runs in the top of the sixth and one in the top of the seventh to decrease UW-W's lead to 7-3.
The 'Hawks went up 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh after Zalnis smacked his second homerun of the game, and fourth of the season.
Three Yellowjacket hits coupled with two Whitewater errors, two walks, and a hit batsman led to five runs for UW-Superior in the top of the eighth and narrowed UW-W's lead to one, 9-8.
The Warhawks scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to increase their lead to two and to bring the game to an end in the scoring column.
Williams Lovera (Tinaquillo, Venezuela/Tinaquillo) pitched a scoreless ninth by retiring all three batters he faced; two on strikeouts. Lovera earned his first save of the season.
Game two was similar to game one without the Yellowjacket comeback. The Warhawks jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with one run after an RBI single by
Travis Wessels (Tomah/Tomah).
A nine-run third by UW-W propelled the Warhawks to a ten-run lead. The nine runs were scored on just four hits, three of which went for extra bases. Aiding the big inning were two walks and two hit batsmen.
Superior scored one in the top of the fourth but Whitewater countered in the bottom of the fifth with five more runs to extend their lead to 15-1. Zalnis drove in three of the five runs on a one-out double. Wessels and
Tom Zimmerman (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) each drove in one of the remaining two runs of the inning on singles.
A three-run homer in the top of the seventh by Alex Lagadin ended all scoring for both teams as the Warhawks defeated UW-Superior in seven innings by virtue of the ten-run rule.
Earning the win for the 'Hawks was
Jason Hooper (Lake Mills/Lake Mills) who is now 4-2 this season. Hooper surrendered six hits and one run while striking out six.
For the day, Zalnis went 3x7, knocking in eight and scoring four.
Matt Beyer (Janesville/Parker) went 3x8 while tallying four runs and four RBIs.
Ryan Leavitt (Merrill/Merrill) also had a nice day at the plate going 4x6 while scoring three and knocking in two.
The Warhawks will play Superior again on Sunday, assuming the weather cooperates, in a twinbill beginning at noon at Prucha Field in Whitewater.
