UW-Whitewater softball got very used to one word in their final homestand of the 2025 season: sweep. The Warhawks won seven of the eight games, including three consecutive sweeps to wrap up the homestand.
Another word that Whitewater got used to is aggressiveness. The Warhawks were aggressive in all three facets of the game: offense, defense and baserunning. This was especially evident in the doubleheader against UW-Platteville.
The first game of the doubleheader was an offensive slugfest, as the Warhawks scored 12 runs in the first three innings. The Pioneers rallied back with a 10-run fifth inning, but Whitewater was able to score a few insurance runs to maintain the lead and secure the victory.
“[The offense] followed the plan today,” head coach Brenda Volk said. “In past games, we’ve been getting ourselves out, and I feel like they finally got back into doing what makes them successful.”
The Warhawks’ bats stayed hot, jumping out to a five-run lead early in game two as they took advantage of extra-base opportunities. Starting pitcher Rhiann Dick got off to a very good start, holding the Pioneers scoreless through the first five innings and finished the day with six strikeouts.
“I just really wanted to attack the batters. I threw what I was comfortable with,” Dick said. “Staying confident and relaxed out there really helped me as well.”
While the Pioneers rallied once again with a four-run sixth inning, Whitewater was able to maintain the lead, once again, to complete the sweep.
One player who epitomized the theme of aggressiveness was center fielder Bella Eggert. Eggert recorded six hits on the day and utilized her speed to get on base and then take extra bases on errors by the Pioneer defense.
“[My approach] was just being aggressive,” Eggert said. “The more we’re aggressive on the bases, the more we score.”
Eggert also had an outfield assist in the first game, throwing out a runner at home to prevent the Pioneers from scoring a key run.
“I want to be in every position like that,” Eggert said. “Just like hitting and running, I have to be aggressive and just make plays.”
The Warhawks kept up the winning ways against the University of Chicago with 4-2 and 6-3 victories.
Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first game, but Claire Kohnley hit a two-run home run to tie the game. An RBI single from Emma Giese gave the Warhawks a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. A big part of that was due to relief pitcher Brooke Hock, who threw five scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
“We know this is the time to lock in and play our best softball, and I just want to do whatever I can to help us finish strong,” Hock said. “As a junior, I’ve been through this stretch before, so I know how important it is to stay together as a team, support one another, and compete with everything we’ve got.”
Game two was low scoring until the final innings. The Warhawks held a 3-1 lead going into the sixth inning before Chicago tied it with a two-RBI double. An RBI single from Keira Jarrett and a pair of doubles from Kiarra Kostroski and Emma Giese gave the Warhawks the lead back. Josie Hammen shut down Chicago at the top of the seventh to secure the 6-3 victory and another sweep.
UW-Whitewater wrapped up the homestand against UW-La Crosse. Not only was this the regular season home finale, it was also senior night. The Warhawks have six seniors who will be graduating from the program at the end of the season.
“This senior group has had a tremendous impact on Warhawk softball and their teammates,” Volk said. “They are very well liked and respected and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The first game against the Eagles started with a bang, as Dani Peshia and Claire Kohnle each homered to give the Warhawks a 5-0 lead. While La Crosse cut the lead to two runs, a three-run home run by Kostroski quashed any hopes of a comeback. Hock dominated once again in relief, with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings pitched.
“Today was all about keeping it simple and trusting my defense,” Hock said. “We know that it’s never about trying to do too much, it’s about executing one pitch at a time and playing free. We have had such a strong defense and offense this season that makes it easy to keep a good approach on the mound.”
The Warhawks used a four-run second inning to take a commanding lead in game two, but the offense quickly cooled off. The Eagles cut the score to 5-4 and could have taken the lead had it not been for a stretch of dominant defense in the sixth inning. Second baseman Kaitlyn Weidemann made a sliding stop and threw out. In the following play, catcher JJ Jakosalem threw out a runner trying to take second.
The offense caught a spark from the defense, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, with two of those runs scoring on a Kostroski single. Those insurance runs were needed, as La Crosse scored two runs in the top of the seventh, but fell short of completing the comeback.
“Any time you can get a conference win and sweep is big,” Volk said. “We have to keep plugging along.”
The Warhawks head into the final week of the regular season leading the WIAC with a 6-2 conference record and a 29-5 overall record. They look to utilize this winning streak and aggressive style of play to propel them to postseason success.
Volk said the key to success going forward is staying focused on the game at hand and continuing to play their style of softball.
“We need to continue to stay loose, play aggressively, and play to win.”
