The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater rounded out the sweep of the Asbury University with a 6-3 win on Saturday morning in Wilmore, Kentucky. After double-digit runs in the two games yesterday, the Warhawks were able to showcase their defense prowess in against the Eagles.
Asbury added to the scoreboard first, hitting an one-RBI double in the bottom of the first, taking their first lead of the weekend. It didn't last long however, as the Warhawks put three on the board in the top of the second with a few singles and a
Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) sacrifice fly.
Both sides were retired in order for the third and fourth innings, as the game started to turn into a defensive battle.
In the top of the 5th, Daryll Jackson had a lead-off triple to get the Warhawks back on the base path.
Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) cleaned Jackson up with a single, as
Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) followed up with a double to put the Warhawks up 5-1.
The Eagles managed to close the gap slightly, scoring on a wild pitch and RBI single in the bottom of the 6th, keeping it a 2-run game heading into the final innings.
The Warhawks were unable to get a hit in the seventh or eighth, but their defense stepped up to keep the lead on their side. UWW stranded three Asbury runners on base in the two frames.
In the top of the 9th, the Warhawks found themselves with the bases loaded and two outs. Frank hit a hard line drive to third base that Asbury was unable to collect, allowing Jackson to score an insurance run and put the Warhawks up 6-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Ben Lee (Amherst, Wis./Amherst) got the call to close the game, collecting a backwards K for the first out. After the second batter walked, the Warhawk defense ended the game with a 6-4-3 double play, capping off a great defensive showing.
Asbury out-hit the Warhawks 10 to 7, but the Warhawks didn't have a singe blemish defensively, with zero errors to the Eagles' three.
Logan Eisenbarth (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) picked up the win on the mound, going 5.0 innings. Eisenbarth only allowed the one run in the bottom of the first, but went four straight without allowing a run.
Next up for the Warhawk baseball squad is their annual Blue Wahoos Challenge in Pensacola, Florida. The Warhawks play six games between March 11th-18th at the Blue Wahoos Double-A stadium.
