UWO squeezes past Warhawks in bottom of ninth

Moments prior to Saturday morning's UW-Whitewater vs UW-Oshkosh game at the WIAC Tournament in Stevens Point UWW senior pitcher was awarded the 2011 WIAC Baseball Scholar Athlete Award.

The senior from Oregon, Wisconsin then locked up in a classic pitcher's duel against Oshkosh No. 1 starter Luke Westphal

The junior lefthander for the Titans allowed just one run and two hits to raise his season-record to 7 & 0. His league-leading ERA falls to 1.25 on the season.

The Warhawks lone run came on a third inning home run by UWW centerfielder Dylan Friend. Friend was also involved in a key play later in the game, The Burlington native opened the sixth inning with a walk. With two outs and Friend at third, Andrew Eichstaedt walked to put runners and first and third.

Whitewater attempted to steal a second run by way of the double steal.

Eichstaedt took off on an attempt to steal second, drew the throw to second by the catcher, Friend broke for home from third. Eichstaedt properly got in a run-down but was tagged out on a bang-bang play prior to Friend touching home play as the inning ended with the Warhawks still leading 1-nothing.

It didn’t take UW-Oshkosh to respond when Nolan Fadness drilled a run-scoring triple to deep right-center field.

The game stayed one-all until the bottom of the ninth.

Tyler Kamps opened the inning with a single to right and a sacrifice bunt by Bobby Kachel sent Kamps to second base. Derek Layton’s infield hit sent Kamps to third. With the game-winning run just 90 feet away, Derek Hiroskey put down a two-out suicide squeeze bunt up the third base line. UWW third baseman Jared Fon made aput good play however his throw to first was just late allowing Kamps to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

It was the second time this season that UWO beat the Warhawks in its last at bat. The Titans scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth in the fourth game of the Hawks four-game series earlier this season in Oshkosh for a come-from-behind 5-4 victory.

Tincher went the distance and was the tough luck loser for the Warhawks.

Oshkosh now plays UW-Stevens Point and will need to win two-straight against the Pointers to capture the 2011 postseason title and automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

All signs seem to point to UW-Whitewater's 32 & 11 record being good enough to earn an at large bid to next week's NCAA Midwest Regional that starts on Wednesday on Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

More to come - Voice