AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team jumped out to a large lead behind strong pitching and held on late Thursday morning for a 9-7 triumph over William Paterson (N.J.) in a non-conference affair at Lake Myrtle Park.
 
The Warhawks (4-1 overall) plated five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a commanding lead as junior right-hander Austin Jones (Wauwatosa, Wis./West) enjoyed a dominant on the mound.
 
Jones (2-0) didn't allow a hit in six innings of work, surrendering only one walk while striking out 10. In his 82-pitch effort, Jones allowed only one runner to reach second base after hitting a batter and posting his only walk of the contest in the bottom of the third.
 
Freshman right fielder Brett Krause (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) opened scoring in the top of the second, coming to the plate on a wild pitch after leading off the frame with a triple.
 
UW-Whitewater manufactured a run in the third as sophomore left fielder Matt Wary (Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior first baseman Blake Fleischman (Germantown, Wis./Germantown), stole third and came around to score on an error.
 
The Warhawks plated five runs on six hits in the top of the seventh. Fleischman, senior infielder Steve Chamberlain (Rockford, IL/Guilford) and senior shortstop Jordan Kuczynski (Germantown/Germantown) were all credited with runs batted in during the inning as the team took advantage of three errors by the Pioneers (5-5-1).
 
UW-Whitewater added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings on an error and an RBI groundout by freshman outfielder Alex Doud (Waukesha, Wis./Mukwonago).
 
William Paterson, which recorded its first hit with one out in the bottom of the seventh, brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but senior right-hander Mike Nompleggi (Oconto Falls/Oconto Falls) induced a pop-up to first base to end the threat and the contest.
 
Wary led the offense with three hits and two runs scored, while Krause finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. The Warhawks finished with 12 hits for the game.
 
UW-Whitewater resumes action in Central Florida Friday against Webster (Mo.), which is currently ranked No. 18 by the American Baseball Coaches Association. First pitch from Auburndale, Fla., is set for 8 a.m. Central Time.