Rob Coe (Appleton/North) recorded three more RBIs to add to his team leading total (14) as the Warhawks defeated Mt. Vernon Nazarene 8-6 on Monday in Auburndale, Florida.  UW-W has won three straight and improves to 6-1 while Mt. Vernon Nazarene falls to 8-5.

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UW-W got on the board first in the top of the first when Coe pushed his first RBI across the plate on a ground out that scored Andrew Eichstaedt (Appleton/North).  UW-W built on that lead with two more in the top of the third, again thanks to Coe.  Coe doubled in Daniel Putnam (Ashland /Ashland) and Matt Meisenheimer (West Bend/West) who reached on back-to-back singles to start the inning.

Mt. Vernon Nazarene closed the gap to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth scoring one run on a double to right center.

UW-W went up 5-1 on an RBI double by Jeff Donovan (Wauwatosa/East) and an RBI sacrifice bunt by Matt Beyer (Janesville/Parker) in the top of the fifth and added one more in the sixth when a run was scored after Lee Kimbell (Clinton, KY/Hickman County) tripled and scored on a wild pitch.

The Cougars tightened the score at 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth scoring a run on a single through the right side of the infield.

UW-W tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the eighth, and they proved to be the difference in the game as Mt. Vernon plated four in the bottom half of the inning.  In the Warhawks' half of the eighth Dylan Friend (Burlington/Burlington) scored on a bunt by Kimbell after doubling to right field to start the inning.  Later in the inning Meisenheimer singled in Travis Wessels (Tomah/Tomah) who singled on the previous at bat.

With the 8-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, UW-W pitcher Justin Lambert (Mt. Horeb/Mt. Horeb) gave up a two-out, three-run triple and a one-run single before giving way to Eric Schmitz (Fond du Lac/Fond du Lac) in relief.  Schmitz struck out the final batter of the inning and got the Cougars to go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth.

Lambert earned the win going seven and two-thirds giving up six runs (five earned), walking four, and striking out eight.  Lambert is 1-0 and this was his first start of the season.

Along with Coe, Putnam continues to do damage at the plate hitting safely in all six Warhawk games this season and batting .560.  Seven different Warhawk runners scored and UW-W left just six on base, four were in scoring position.

UW-W will play again on Monday against St. Thomas at 2:00 pm.

For additional information, John Vodenlich