Nineteen hits in game one and sixteen hits in game two spurred the Warhawk baseball team to victory over Marian University on Thursday afternoon.  The Warhawks won game one 19-7 and game two 13-3 in eight innings via the ten-run rule.  The Warhawks, ranked sixth in the most recent American Baseball Coaches Association poll and thirteenth in the latest D3baseball.com poll, improve to 12-1 overall while Marian falls to 2-10.

Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
Photo Gallery

Game one got off to a quick start for the 'Hawks as they took the early lead and never relinquished.  A run in the bottom of the first on a Ben Kuhlmann (Minneapolis, MN/Southwest) single got the Warhawks on the board.  Five more runs in the bottom of the second, including a three-run homer by Daniel Putnam (Ashland /Ashland), pushed the Warhawks out to a 6-0 lead.

Another run in the bottom of the fourth increased the lead to seven before Marian could respond with three runs in the top of the sixth.

A nine-run bottom of the sixth blew things open for UW-W.  In the inning Kevin Barth (Tomah/Tomah) accounted for four RBIs as he blasted a grand slam over the center field wall.  Kuhlmann also chipped in an RBI single his first time up in the inning and a two RBI triple his second time up.  Rob Coe (Appleton/North) and Jeff Donovan (Wauwatosa/East) drove in the other two runs.

Marian did fight back with four runs in the top of the seventh to inch closer at 16-7 but the 'Hawks tacked on three more in the bottom of the seventh for the final of 19-7.

Riley Tincher (Oregon/Oregon) earned the win going six innings while striking out four and walking none.  Kyle Lee (Beaver Dam/Beaver Dam) and Ben Versnik (West Allis/Hale) each came on in relief and pitched scoreless and hitless innings.

Putnam finished game one by going 4-for-5 with three runs and five RBIs.  Kuhlmann was hot at the plate as well going 5-for-6 with one run and four RBIs.  Donovan, Ryan Leavitt (Merrill/Merrill), and Mike Kenseth (Milwaukee/West Allis Hale) also contributed multiple hits to the team.

Game two started a bit differently but ended the same.  The Warhawks did take the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Kuhlmann drove in Matt Beyer (Janesville/Parker), but Marian tied things up in the top of the second on a Josh Klismith solo shot.

UW-W took the lead back in the bottom of the second on a Kenseth single, but again Marian came back in the top half of the next inning to score two and take the lead 3-2.

The Sabres lead came to a screeching halt in the bottom of the third when Donovan doubled home Jordan Stine (Merrill/Merrill ) to tie things up.

Five runs in the bottom of the fourth gave UW-W the lead for good.  Beyer doubled with the bases loaded to score three and then the following play saw Beyer score on an error by the Sabres' shortstop.  Donovan drove in Putnam on a single for the final run of the inning.

A run in the bottom of the sixth and in the bottom of the seventh pushed the Warhawks out to a 10-3 lead, but things were just getting exciting.  UW-W finished the game with back-to-back-to-back homeruns in the bottom of the eighth to end the game via the ten-run rule.  Homering in the inning were Kenseth, Beyer and Putnam.

Aaron Leitner (Chilton/Chilton ) earned the win for the 'Hawks by going five innings and giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one.  Leitner improves to 3-1 this season.

Kenseth went 4-for-4 in the game scoring three and driving in two while Beyer and Putnam each went 3-for-5 totaling six RBI and five runs between the two of them.  Travis Wessels (Tomah/Tomah) also had multiple hits going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

UW-W will take off until April 7 when they travel to UW-Platteville to play the Pioneers in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00.  The Warhawks next home game will be on April 10 when they host the Blue Devils of UW-Stout in a twinbill beginning at noon.

For additional information, John Vodenlich