AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team remained undefeated Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep against fellow 2015 NCAA qualifier St. Scholastica (Minn.) in non-conference play at Lake Myrtle Park.
The Warhawks (5-0 overall) edged the Saints 3-1 in Game 1 before taking the nightcap by a 9-2 tally.
In the opener, freshman third baseman
Cal Aldridge (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge), who finished 4-for-4 at the plate in the game, supplied the go-ahead single with one out in the eighth inning. Sophomore left fielder
Will Helbing (Waunakee, Wis./Waunakee) tripled to lead off the ninth and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by senior catcher
Dane Burman (Milton, Wis./Milton) to supply a crucial insurance run.
Junior pitcher
Matt Langlie (Mundelein, IL/Mundelein) tossed the final 2 2/3 innings in relief to pick up the win, his first of the year. Senior right-hander
Curtis Morgan (Green Lake/Green Lake) pitched the first six innings, allowing just four hits while striking out seven.
UW-Whitewater was first on the board in the top of the third as Helbing led off the frame with a home run deep down the right field line.
The Saints (5-4) tied the game in the top of the seventh and had the bases loaded with one out when Langlie entered the contest. The right-hander induced a fielder's choice ground ball before ending the inning with a strikeout.
In the second game, UW-Whitewater registered three runs in the third inning and didn't look back.
Burman led the offense with two hits and four runs batted in on a grand slam that helped put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning. Senior right fielder
Trent Diekvoss (Beaver Dam/Beaver Dam) posted three hits and two runs scored.
Aldridge, sophomore designated hitter
Austin Jones (Wauwatosa, Wis./West) and junior shortstop
Jordan Kuczynski (Germantown/Germantown) tallied two hits apiece and each knocked in a run.
Senior pitcher
Connor Hurst (Waunakee/Waunakee) picked up the win, his first of the year. The left-hander allowed just one earned run on three hits while striking out five. Junior lefty
Ankur Shah (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) and freshman right-hander
Riley Gruetzmacher (Oconto Falls, Wis./Oconto Falls) finished up in relief.
The Warhawks continue action in Central Florida Thursday against Eastern Connecticut State at 11:15 a.m. Central Time.