The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team made a huge statement to take the 1-0 series lead in the NCAA Division III Final against Messiah University. The Warhawk offense blasted 20 hits en route to an 18-3 win. Ben Lee (Amherst, Wis./Amherst) did his work on the mound, picking up the win on the mound in 7.0 innings of work.

The Warhawks took the field first as the designated home team. A 1-2-3 inning was highlighted by a run-down catch in right field from Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville).

Messiah did the same feat, closing down the Warhawk offense in the first inning with their own three-up-three-down inning. But the Warhawks were still the first to strike, with Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) sending in the first runner with a single. 

The Warhawks started to break the game open with four runs in the fourth. Back-to-back singles moved the runners forward, with Hopper scoring off a fielding error. Dominic McVay capped off the inning with a three-run shot to put the Warhawks up 5-0.

Messiah ended the shutout with an RBI single in the top of the 5th. The Warhawks quickly grabbed the run back with Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) hitting a solo shot to lead off the offensive half. Hopper gapped a hit that the left fielder wasn't able to catch up to, scoring another run to give UWW a 7-1 lead.

Both teams were held scoreless in the 6th, but Messiah added their second run on a solo homer to lead off the 7th inning.

The Warhawks apparently made the most of the 7th-inning stretch, seemingly putting the game away for good with a 9-run frame.

Back-to-back singles for Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) & Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) started the ending. Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) scored Frank on an RBI double for the first run of the inning. 

Darryl Jackson (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) drew a five-pitch walk, forcing a mound visit and the first pitching change for the Falcons. McVay had a productive out with a sacrifice fly against the new arm. 

Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) drew a four pitch walk to load the bases, followed by a 2-RBI single from Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) to add another couple runs on the board. A double for Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) scored the 5th run of the inning and drew the next arm out of the bullpen.

Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) fought at the plate for another walk to get the bases loaded once again. Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis./Bay Port) made the most of it, hitting a Grand Slam to clean the bases off and cap off the crooked inning. 

With a 16-2 lead, the Warhawks added another two in the bottom of the 8th for a little extra insurance. Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) scored an RBI single followed by an RBI-single from Cootway, Befitting of his number, Cootway hit in the 18th Warhawk run of the game. 

Down to their final three outs, Messiah added a base runner after a walk. The runner scored after a double from Messiah's Martinez. The Warhawk defense grabbed the final out in the same play, catching Martinez in a pickle as he tried to push three. 

With the 18-3 win, the Warhawks take a 1-0 series lead heading into the second day of the Finals. Game Two will start at 11 am (ET) tomorrow morning.