The University of Wisconsin Whitewater baseball team dropped the opening game of teh conference series with UW-Stout, but were able to answer back in a big way to split the twinbill on Saturday.

The Warhawks (29-3, 19-3 WIAC) fell after a late Blue Devil (14-20, 12-10 WIAC) run in game one, 5-6. But answered back with a 13-2 run-rule victory in game two.

Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) wasted no time going distance to get the Warhawks started in game one. In his first plate appearance, Scolan got the Warhawks on the board with a shot to right field. 

Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) kept the scoring going with a 2-run blast in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0, but a double-steal play by Stout closed the lead to just two runs in the bottom of the frame.

Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) hit the Warhawks third home run of the day in the top of the 6th, followed by Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) cleaning up a runner to ptu the Warhawks up 5-1 at teh seventh inning stretch. 

The Blue Devils used a huge rally in the bottom of the 7th to pull the game closer, tying the game at 5-5. Stout hit another RBI double in the 8th for the go-ahead run, keeping the Warhawk offense from rallying in the ninth for the 6-5 win. 

The Warhawks used game two to answer back, with Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) hitting another home run in his first plate appearance of the game.

Scolan highlighted a four-run second inning as well, with a 2-RBI triple to give the Warhawks a 5-0 lead after just two innings. 

The Warhawks added four more after hitting two home runs in the top of the fourth. Jackson Spring (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) had a solo shot, with Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) scoring three more on his shot to center field. 

The Blue Devils scored their first run of the second of the game with an RBI double,  but the Warhawks still were up 9-1 after five complete.

Scolan kickstarted another rally in the sixth, hitting his 47th career home run. Scolan ties Pat Tobiasz (1995-98) and Cal Aldridge (2016-19) at the top of the Warhawk leaderboard for home runs in a career.

Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) hit his own 2-run home run right after Scolan, putting the Warhawks up 13-1. UW-Stout managed to score another run in the 6th, but the game ended in 7 after the run rule.

The Warhawks will complete the WIAC series tomorrow against Stout, with first pitch set for 1 PM at Wakanda Park in Menomonie.