The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team defeated UW-Oshkosh in the first round of the WIAC play-offs. A quick pitching battle, the Warhawks came away with the 5-1 victory.

The Warhawks got to work right away, with Michael Hilker Jr. (Yorkville, Ill./York) striking out five batters in the first two innings. The Warhawks capitalized on offense, scoring the first run of the game in the bottom of the third.

A three-run fourth inning put the Warhawks up 4-0 over the Titans. The Titans had a response in the top of the fifth on a RBI single, but the Warhawks took the run back in the bottom frame, with Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) sending Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) home from first. Paden's ball hugged the right foul line, but stayed fair for the Warhawks' fifth run.

Hilker continued to control the game with his pitching, only allowing one base runner in the final four innings. Hilker finished his complete game with 10 strike-outs in his 7th win of the season.

On offense, Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North), Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point), and Paden all recorded 1 RBI each. Bennett Frazer (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) had two sacrifice bunts at the plate.

The Warhawks will play the winner of UW-Stevens Point vs. UW-La Crosse in the second round of the WIAC Baseball tournament. The game is scheduled for tomorrow at 1 PM.