AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The No. 1 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team surrendered a late lead Sunday but didn't give in, recovering for a 5-3 victory over North Central (Ill.) in 11 innings in a non-conference affair at Lake Myrtle Park.
 
Senior second baseman Nick Kuhlmann (Minneapolis, MN/Minneapolis Southwest) gave the Warhawks (4-1) the lead for good with a two-out, run-scoring triple to right center field. The Cardinals' throw to third base went into a dugout, allowing Kuhlmann to score and account for the final margin.
 
In the bottom of the frame, North Central (6-5) put its leadoff runner aboard, but sophomore left-hander Donnie Manke (Lodi/Lodi) induced a fly-out, picked off the runner at first and posted a strikeout to earn his first save of the year.
 
Sophomore right-hander Mike Nompleggi (Oconto Falls/Oconto Falls), who entered the game in the bottom of the ninth, pitched two-plus innings for his second win of the season.
 
Freshman righty Heath Renz (Jefferson, Wis./Jefferson) started for UW-Whitewater and allowed just one earned run while striking out eight in six innings of work.
 
Kuhlmann and senior first baseman Casey Power (Ontario, Canada/Belle River) led the Warhawks with two hits apiece.
 
The Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the second and held it until the top of the seventh, when UW-Whitewater plated two runs to take a 2-1 advantage.
 
Senior catcher Mike Mierow (Brookfield/Central) and junior designated hitter Dane Burman (Milton, Wis./Milton) hit back-to-back doubles, with Burman's shot to right center bringing around Mierow to score. Senior left fielder Kyle Haen (Madison/Edgewood) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the inning to bring in another run.
 
The Warahwks added an insurance run in the eighth when Power scored on a throwing error to make it 3-1.
 
North Central tallied once in the eighth and once in the ninth to push the game to extra innings.
 
After Nompleggi stranded a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the 10th, freshman pinch hitter Kyle Jones (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) chopped an infield single to short to lead off the top of the 11th. Freshman Daytona Bryden (Rockton, IL/Hononegah) sacrificed Jones to second, and Jones was replaced at second by freshman pinch runner Jordan Kuczynski (Germantown/Germantown).
 
After another out was recorded, Kuhlmann came to the plate and hit a two-hopper to the fence in right center.
 
Following an off day Monday, UW-Whitewater returns to action Tuesday against Elmhurst (Ill.). First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. Central Time at Lake Myrtle Park.
 
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