Whitewater, Wis. – The No. 2 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team completed a two-day, four-game series against UW-Stevens Point with three consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victories at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
 
The Warhawks (14-1 overall, 3-1 WIAC) used a big seventh inning to take Game 1 by a 12-6 score, then bested the Pointers 7-1 in the nightcap.
 
In the opener, the Warhawks took an early lead and hung on despite rallies by the Pointers (7-10 overall, 1-3 WIAC) in the middle innings.
 
Senior Left-Hander Connor Hurst (Waunakee/Waunakee) picked up the win, his second of the season. The lefty allowed one run, on two hits, in two and 1/3 innings of work. Relievers Heath Renz (Jefferson, Wis./Jefferson) and Riley Gruetzmacher (Oconto Falls, Wis./Oconto Falls) each pitched an inning of work allowing one run combined.
 
Sophomore first baseman Blake Fleischman (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) totaled three hits, three runs and three runs batted in to lead the UW-Whitewater offense. Senior catcher Dane Burman (Milton, Wis./Milton) registered two hits, two runs, and two runs batted in.
 
The Warhawks plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to an Austin Jones (Wauwatosa, Wis./West) home run. The Pointers responded with runs in the second and third innings, until Fleischman hit a home run of his own in the bottom of the third to increase the lead to 4-2.
 
After UW-Stevens Point scored two runs in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth to take the lead. The Warhawks responded with a seven run seventh inning to take the lead for good.
 
UW-Whitewater added another run in the bottom of the eighth inning, while the Pointers added one in the top of ninth, before Gruetzmacher recorded the final out of the game.
 
In the nightcap, UW-Whitewater pounded out 11 hits as four players finished with two or more.
 
Junior LHP Ankur Shah (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) improved to 2-0 on the year with a six-inning shutout of the Pointers, scattering six hits in the outing.  Renz and junior right-hander Matt Langlie (Mundelein, IL/Mundelein) pitched the final three innings allowing one run on two hits.
 
The Warhawks started early again in Game 2 as Fleischman doubled down the left field line that plated two runs in the bottom of the second inning. In the fourth inning Fleischman plated freshman third baseman Cal Aldridge (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) with a single through the left side.
 
Two innings later, Burman plated freshman catcher Justin Wegner (Naperville, Ill./Central) with a single through the left side to make the score 4-0. Junior Steve Chamberlain (Rockford, IL/Guilford) singled up the middle to score sophomore centerfielder Daytona Bryden (Rockton, IL/Hononegah) to increase the lead to 5-0.
 
UW-Whitewater added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to a double from Chamberlain and UW-Stevens Point fielding error. The Pointers lone run of the game came in the top of the ninth inning.
 
The Warhawks resume play this Wednesday in a non-conference match up against Concordia-Chicago (Ill.) at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.