Opening day finally came to Whitewater this past weekend as the baseball team split a four-game series against UW-Oshkosh.
For Warhawk baseball fans, the first home games were a cold and windy experience, but a welcome one.
“It’s great to finally get out to the diamond,” sophomore fan Zach Gosse said. “I just wish I would’ve packed my parka.”
With an 11-6 record, the Warhawks will face UW-Platteville in a double-header starting 1 p.m. today in Platteville.
The ’Hawks got off to a good start defeating the Titans 6-2 in game one. Senior pitcher Jack Larsen got the win for the ’Hawks, scattering four hits and two earned runs over 7.2 innings.
Sophomore third baseman Jared Fon led the ’Hawks at the plate in game one, scoring three runs on four hits.
Freshman first baseman Marty Herum drove Fon in on his only hit, and head coach John Vodenlich said he is excited to see that tandem continue to hit.
“We’ve got some young players who’ve shown they have potential at the plate,” Vodenlich said. “It’s exciting, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
The second game of Thursday’s double-header proved Vodenlich correct, as the ’Hawks came up short at the plate, losing an 11-inning battle 3-2.
It was a pitching duel. Sophomore Matt Roberts pitched seven innings and gave up only two runs. Senior relief pitchers Eric Schmitz and junior Michael Huckabay pitched three scoreless innings before the Titans finally got to Huckabay in the 11th inning.
Titans’ relievers Matt Wells and Troy Mrkvicka took over for starter Travis Sindles in the sixth inning and did not allow a run.
On Friday the script was similar, as the ’Hawks took the first game 8-3 behind the hitting of Herum and senior infielder Ryan Leavitt, but fell 8-6 in the second game.
In game one, senior Kyle Stewart pitched a solid 5.2 innings for the ’Hawks, giving up two runs.
It was all Titans in the second game after they took a commanding 6-0 lead after the first two innings. Vodenlich said it’s tough to come back after getting down like that.
“That fourth game is an example of the inconsistency in our pitching,” he said. “I tell our pitchers that the goal is to have a chance to win somewhere in the fifth through seventh innings,” Vodenlich said.
Overall, Vodenlich said the team has showed promise at this point in the season. He said the team has plenty of untapped potential and can beat anybody on any given day.
