After the original home opener was canceled due to rain the Warhawks were finally able to open up WIAC play with a doubleheader against UW-Platteville.Coming fresh off of two wins against Rockford University the Warhawks would end up winning two cose games against Platteville winning game one 4-3 and game two 5-4.

Platteville would start off the scoring in game one after an error with two outs allowed a runner to reach and then the very next batter would hit a double bringing in the runner for an early 1-0 lead. Whitewater would get a couple chances but wouldn’t be able to capitalize after leaving runners left on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings. The Warhawks started the 6th inning with a one two three inning. Freshman Taylor Koehler led off the Warhawks with a single in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Kiarra Kostroski would follow up with a single of her own giving the Warhawks first and second with no outs. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners over junior Meghan Dunning would finally get the Warhawks on the board with a three run home run to give the Warhawks a 3-1 lead. Platteville would not go away just yet as they would lead off the top of the seventh with a lead off home run by Alexandria Davis making the score 3-2. The Warhawks would get the next one swinging and would then strike out the next one but would be safe at first due to a dropped third strike. The next batter would ground out but would advance the runner. With one more out to go Platteville would come in clutch with a RBI single by Melissa Dietz to tie the game. The Warhwaks  would get out of the inning without any more damage, sending the game into the bottom of the seventh. Platteville retired the first two batters for the Warhawks. But freshman Maggie Ward would hit a single leaving a chance for the Warhawks to win it. And Taylor Koehler would do just that as she would walk it off with a double giving the Warhawks their first conference win of the season. 

“It feels amazing. I’m really glad I was able to help us finish,” says Koehler. Koehler has been on a hot streak starting the season batting .488 and 1.117 OPS along with 11 RBIs. “My approach has been to be aggressive. I can count on my teammates and rely on them. Whether I get on or not I can count on them to pick me up.”

Platteville would once again start the scoring in game two after a two out single and then a home run by Claire Bakkestuen to take a 2-0 lead. It wouldn’t take long for the Warhawks to respond as Taylor Koehler would come up big once again and deliver an RBI double. Kiarra Kostroski would then knock her in on the next at bat and tie the game at two. The Warhawks would take the lead in the second inning after a Maggie Ward RBI single. Plattteville would end up tying it in the fifth after a Melissa Dietz RBI double. The Warhawks would take the lead right back in the sixth as Meghan Dunning would hit her second home run of the day to make the score 4-3. Platteville would not go away though, coming up big once again with a Melissa Dietz home run to tie the game. Platteville would have a good chance to turn a double play but an error caused them runners on first and second with no outs. The bases would eventually be loaded with a one out walk. And from there Kiarra Kostroski worked a walk and the winning run would come in for the Warhawks second win of the day continuing the Warhawks hot start to the season. 

“Since we’ve been back from Florida I feel we’ve been able to put it together. Our pitching and fielding has been solid. I tell them if we can get at least two of the three then we’ll win a lot of games. But if we can add the hitting we’ll win the big ones as well,” says head coach Brenda Volk.

The Warhawks would lose their Saturday doubleheader to University of Chicago 0-2 and 2-4. They will look to bounce back and continue WIAC play Apr. 11 at UW-Stevens Point for a double header. To check out all the Warhawk softball home games you can see their full schedule here.