It took a little extra, but UW-Whitewater defeated Aurora University 6-5 Friday in the NCAA III regional hosted by UW-W at Prucha Field at Miller Stadium. Whitewater, 32-16 on the season and 3-1 in the double elimination regional, will play Saint Scholastica, 34-10 and 2-1, at 12:00 Saturday. Aurora ends the season 38-11.
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Leah Thyne)
UW-W collected three hits in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Aurora cut the deficit in half in the second, scoring with one hit, thanks to a Warhawk throwing error and a wild pitch, and tied the game with one run in the bottom of the fifth
Whitewater regained the lead in the sixth with a two out, two run double by David Cladis. Aurora got back in front with three in the bottom of the sixth, two crossing the plate on Bobby Wilson’s single. Aurora threatened again In the seventh, but Jack Larsen came on for UW-W with men on first and third, no outs and closed the door, holding AU to the one run lead. UW-W quickly caught up, with Steve Bartlein singling in the tying run in the top of the eighth. With two outs in the top of the tenth Whitewater’s Travis Wessels scored the winning run from second base on a misplayed pop-up on the infield.
Jack Larsen, 2-1, took the win for the Warhawks with four innings of relief.
