The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team took down #11 Birmingham-Southern in both games of a double-header in Pensacola, Florida. The Warhawks showed off some big hitting in the first game, winning 14-3 with 17 hits on the day.
The first got off to a slow start, as the Panthers jumped out to a quick 2-0 in the first inning. The Warhawks had one hit in the bottom of the second and third, but were unable to string together anything to get on the scoreboard.
But after a quick three-outs in the top of the fourth,
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) kickstarted a 6-run inning with a double to left center. Paden's double was followed by one from
Jackson Koenig (Blaine, Minn./Blaine), and soon enough, the bases were loaded with Warhawks. Another couple of hits made the score 6-2 in favor of the Warhawks.
Aaron Holland (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) added another run on a sacrifice fly from
Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) in the next inning to give the Warhawks a 5-run lead. The top of the sixth was another three-up-three-down which the Warhawks capitalized on offense.
Another 6-run inning made the score 13-2, which grew to 14-2 after a Paden single sent
Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) home. The Panthers would add a run in the top of the 8th, but it wasn't enough to threaten the Warhawks.
In the first game,
Cade Berendt (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) got the win after pitching 7 innings, only allowing 4 hits and 2 runs. Offensively,
Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) led the Warhawks with a double and triple in three at bats. Frank recorded 3 RBIs, with Paden, Scolan, and Hopper all recording 2 RBIs.
The second game was a little more defensive, with the Warhawks pitching shining in the win.
After both teams went hitless in the first two innings, the Warhawks opened up scoring in the top of the third. With bases loaded,
Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) was walked with two outs, Daryl Jackson also took home on the play after a passed ball on the Panthers giving the Warhawks a 2-0 lead.
Birmingham-Southern answered back with a RBI triple, keeping the game 2-1. The Warhawks gave themselves another cushion after
Aaron Holland's (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) sacrifice fly sent Jackson home.
The Warhawks added another in the top of the 6th, With
Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) sending
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) in. At his next at bat in the top of the 7th, Paden tripled, scoring another run for the Warhawks & giving them a four-run lead heading into the last three innings.
After a Birmingham-Southern RBI double made it 5-2,
Jackson Burk (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Turner) came to the mound with a save in mind.
Burk struck out the final batter of the seventh and retired the Panthers again in the top of the 8th. The Warhawk offense added another run in the top of the ninth to give more of a cushion, 6-2.
Burk finished out the bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts, picking up the first Warhawk save of the year.
Jack Hagen (San Clemente, Cal./San Clemente) would be credited the win, pitching 6.2 innings with 6 strikeouts.
The Warhawks have two more games left of their Spring Trip to Pensacola, with a 4 PM game against Sewanee tomorrow at 4 PM. The Warhawks final game of the trip will be Saturday, March 16th at 9 am against Huntingdon College.
