The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater took two from league-leader and 16th ranked UW-Oshkosh on their home field Saturday. The Warhawks won the opener 12-1 in six innings before securing the sweep with a 7-3 win in the nightcap.
The Warhawk bats came alive on a cold day in Oshkosh Saturday blasting 31 hits and 11 extra base knocks including 5 homeruns. UWW struck early and often throughout the day starting with the first inning in game one.
Taylor Koehler (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) sparked a two-our rally with a single up the middle and
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) followed suite with a single to left field.
Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) plated the first runs of the game on a two-RBI double to left center.
Sydney Anderson (Delavan, Wis./Delavan-Darien) tagged a ball to center for a double to lead off the second.
Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) followed with a RBI single to left field. After a sacrifice bunt,
Krista Sbarra (West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) brought in another run on a gap shot to left center that went for a double and a 4-0 UWW lead.
Kostroski blasted the first four-bagger of the day in the third to give the Warhawks a 5-0 lead.
The Titans were able to get on the board with a single run in the bottom of the third but the Warhawk defense shut them out the rest of the way.
Meanwhile the offense continued to roll. UWW posted three runs on four hits in the fourth as Koehler showcased her power with an oppo blast to left field. The Warhawks plated four more in the sixth courtesy of six hits including a Wickman two-run bomb to left field.
Delaney Becker's (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) RBI single later in the frame plated the final run of the game giving UWW the 12-1 lead.
Eight Warhawks posted multiple hits in the contest led by Kostroski's 3-4, 3 RBI performance.
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) pitched an absolute gem to bolster the defense. In six innings of work, Anderson allowed just three hits while striking out nine to improve to 3-3 on the season.
Kostroski got UWW on the board again in the top of the first with a RBI single up the middle. Two innings later Dunning tagged a ball that cleared the fence down the left field line for a two-run shot and her first of two homerun blasts in the contest.
UW-Oshkosh capitalized on a Warhawk miscue to plate a single run in the bottom of the frame and then pulled to within one, 3-2 on a RBI single in the fourth.
UW-Whitewater responded by doubling up in the fifth. Kostroski doubled to left center with one out. Anderson traded places with a two-out two-bagger to right center. In the next at bat, Dunning homered to right center to give UWW a 6-3 lead.
The Titans registered a homerun of their own in the bottom of the fifth but that's all the Warhawks would allow.
Maddie Koenings (West Bend, Wis./West) wrapped up the scoring with a double to left center that made it 7-3 UWW.
Kostroski went 3-4 in game two to finish the day 6-8 at the plate. Dunning was 2-4 with two homers, four RBI and two runs scored.
Kate Cleveland (DePere, Wis./Ashwaubenon) picked up the win in 1.2 innings of relief. The national leader in earned run average,
Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble), came in to close the game and pick up her fourth save of the season. Hock allowed two hits while striking out six in the final 3.1 innings of the game.
