The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team opened up their 2024 season with a 14-3 win over 19th-ranked Trinity (TX) University.
The Warhawks (ranked 22nd in the most recent D3Baseball Poll) opened up the scoreboard quick, as
Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) hit the first Warhawk home run of the season. Thies's two-run homer was followed by a failed pick off attempt that saw
Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) scoring again in the top of the second.
Only an inning later,
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hit another home run to left field, giving the Warhawks a 4-0 lead. The Tigers finally got themselves on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, with a SAC fly to make it 4-1.
The Warhawks answered back with another 3-run inning, extending their lead. Trinity was able to get another two runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth, but reliever
Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) got the Warhawks out of the inning after coming into a bases-loaded, no-outs situation.
The Warhawk offense didn't stop there, trying to get as many batting reps in their first game of the season.
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hit his second home run of the night in the Top of the seventh.
Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) made the most of his two at bats in innings 8 and 9, picking up an RBI single in the 8th before scoring two more for the Warhawks in the 9th.
A quick 3-and-out by
Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) in the bottom of the ninth sealed the game for good, giving the Warhawks a 14-3 victory to start the season.
Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) earned his first win of his collegiate career, with 8 strikeouts and one hit in his 4 innings of the night.
Offensively, Paden led the the box score with his two home runs. Scolan claimed four RBIs from three hits in six at bats.
Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) earned two free bases, as he was hit twice at the plate.
The Warhawks will be back in action tomorrow for a double header against Trinity (TX). The first pitch of the first game is set for 2 PM.
