Plan on a chilly reception in Superior

Earlier this week I checked the Superior 10-day weather forecast. I was estatic! The Weather Channel was predicting high temperatures in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Oops! Beginning Wednesday the forecast looked much different for the Twin Ports (Duluth-Superior). Forecasters are now calling for a chance of showers and 59 degrees on Saturday and a lingering shower or two and 53 degrees on Sunday.

If you are heading to Superior to back the Hawks this weekend their will be no need to bring snow shoes and a sweater, sweatshirt and jacket are advised.

A reminder, I'll be in Superior for the four-game series blogging as the Hawks look to wrap up the 2010 WIAC regular season championship.

Voice -

Hawks head north to Superior this weekend

The UW-Whitewater baseball team travels to Superior this weekend to wind up the WIAC regular season with four games against a solid UW-Superior team that is in the hunt for the third and final spot in next week’s WIAC postseason tournament.

The Yellowjackets enter the weekend at 8 & 8 in the conference and in third place. UW-Platteville is fourth at 9 & 11. Those two teams have the inside track at the final playoff berth.

For the Warhawks, the magic number is 2 to clinch at least a tie for a ninth WIAC regular season championship in the last 11 years.

Whitewater enters the weekend with a 17 & 3 conference mark. Second place Stevens Point is 11 & 5.

The Pointers host UW-La Crosse (6-10) for four games this weekend and travel to Stout next weekend to wind up the season with a pair of doubleheaders.

The three-team WIAC postseason tournament will be held at the site of the regular season champion beginning on Friday, May 14th.

Ben Kulmann set to play in his 106th consecutive game this weekend

Ben Kuhlmann has been a fixture at second base for the Warhawks over the past three years. The senior out of Minneapolis, Minnesota Southwest High School has started 105 consecutive games for the Warhawks.

Beyer played a major role in Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep of Oshkosh. Ben finished the day 4 for 7 including a home run and triple, knocked in two runs, scored six runs, and walked three times.

“It was really nice to actually see the ball better,” Kuhlmann told Voices Eye on Baseball Blog following the twinbill. “It’s been a kind of a struggle lately but today it felt real good at the plate.”

As far as beating archrival UW-Oshkosh 22-6 and 13-6 is concerned?

“It felt really good,” Kulmann said. “Anytime you sweep a team like Oshkosh its great. As I look back over the years I owed them that. They’ve been one of those teams that its nice to come out and sweep especially as a senior.”

Kuhlman admits there is plenty of baseball to play this season and the team still has goals to conquer.

“We’ll see what happens,” the senior second baseman said. “I’m really excited about this team, it’s the best team I’ve ever been on. I just hope we continue what we do, day in and day out, and get to the ship.”

The Hawks will take a 29 and 4 record to Superior this weekend to wrap up the WIAC portion of the 2010 schedule. UW-W is 17 & 3 in the conference, four games up on second place UW-Stevens Point..

Baldy honored Wednesday for his $200-thousand donation to Warhawk baseball

Eric Baldwin was back in Whitewater Wednesday to be honored for his $200,000 donation to the UW-Whitewater baseball program. The funding was used to install lights at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium.

The highly successful professional poker player was honored in special pregame ceremonies prior to game-one of Wednesday’s doubleheader vs. UW-Oshkosh.

“Baldy” sat in with Gary Douglas and Tom Pattison for nearly 20 minutes on the KOOL 106.5 broadcast of game one.

Baldwin earned his degree at UW-W in psychology with a minor in mathematics. Baldwin was a true student athlete. Eric earned his way onto the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Scholastic Honor Roll all three years that he played for UW-W, also earned the league's Max Sparger Award as the Scholar Athlete for Baseball in 2005. He graduated Summa Cum Laude.

On the baseball field, Baldwin was a team captain on the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championship team along with the 2004 team that finished 3rd at the D III World Series in Appleton.

Eric is known as one of the most competitive players on the Pro Poker Circuit. He arrived in Whitewater Wednesday after winning just over $1-miillion finishing second at the Tournament of Champions World Poker Tournament at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Henderson, Nevada resident has earned $4-million in his career.

Baldwin told the radio audience that he had always known the moto once a Warhawk, always a Warhawk and his success on the Pro Poker Tour has allowed him to give back to the University.

Beyer has career day at the plate for the Warhawks

UW-W scored seven times in the bottom of the first, on six hits, to settle the issue early. Catcher Rob Coe doubled in two runs, leftfielder Matt Beyer tripled in two, and center fielder Jordan Stine singled in two to provide the key hits in the inning.

Whitewater scored in every inning, tacking on three in the second, two in the third, five in the fourth, one in the fifth and four more in the sixth for their biggest run production since a 27-12 win over Salem State (MA) March 21 in Florida.

Among the hitting leaders for Whitewater in the doubleheader was leftfielder Matt Beyer. The sophomore from Janesville was 5 for 9 in the doubleheader including a home run (see photo), triple and 8 RBI.

“I was seeing the ball really well today,” Beyer told Voices Eye On Baseball following the doubleheader sweep. “I don’t know what exactly was but it was definitely the best I’ve seen the ball in a while.”

Beyer has split time in left field for much of April with sophomore, Tim Conroy. Beyer spent last year as the primary left fielder for a Warhawk team that went all the way to the championship game of the Division III Regional in Moline, Illinois.

“It was a little tough but I understand that I was in a little slump,” Beyer said. “Whenever you get the chance take advantage of it just like I did today.”

Beyer is hitting a solid .345 with four home runs and 32 RBI.

Hawks hitting shoes on in sweep of UW-Oshkosh

The UW-Whitewater baseball team arrived at Jim Miller Stadium Wednesday with its hitting shoes on. The Hawks opened game one of the doubleheader scoring seven runs in its first at bat on the way to a 22-6 win. Game two had the same script with Whitewater scoring four in the first inning and led 8-1 after three.on the way to a 16-6 victory over WIAC rival UW-Oshkosh.

Whitewater pounded out 36 hits in the twinbill.

In game-one, each of the Hawk starters scored at least one run and were on base at least twice.

Matt Beyer and Ryan Leavitt led the hit parade. Beyer finished 3 for 5 with 5 RBI. Leavitt ended game-one 3 for 3 with 4 runs batted in. Jeff Donovan ripped his team-high ninth home run.

Riley Tincher pitched five innings to extend his record to 10 and 0 for the season.

Jordan Stine, Dan Putnam and Matt Beyer ripped home runs in game-two to lead the Hawks 15 hit attack. Stine, Putnam and Ryan Levitt added doubles.

Jason Hooper (see adjacent photo) pitched 6.2 innings to pick up his first win since hurling a no-hitter on April 11th. Hooper raises his season record to 4 & 2..

With the sweep, the Hawks are now 29 & 4 on the season and 17 & 3 in the WIAC. Oshkosh drops to 5 & 11 in conference play and 12 & 18 overall.

Whitewater will wind up WIAC action this weekend with doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Voices Eye on Baseball will be blogging from Superior all weekend long.

Baldwin to be feted today prior to UWW-UWO doubleheader

Eric Baldwin will be back in Whitewater today. The 2006 UW-Whitewater graduate was a member of the Warhawk baseball program that finished 3rd at the NCAA Division III World Series in 2004, and won the Division III National Title in 2005.

Earlier this year Baldwin donated $200 thousand to UW-Whitewater baseball for field lights at the new James B. Miller Stadium. The lights helped the Warhawks earn a bid to host a NCAA Division III regional May 19-23.

“It’s going to be great to see him,” Warhawk head coach JohnVodenlich said. “ ‘Baldy’ is a class act. He’s been close to the program ever since he left. It will be nice to have him back.”

Eric earned his UW-Whitewater degree in psychology, with a minor in mathematics, knowledge that directly is associated with the proficiency in the game of poker. The former According to numerous poker publications, the former Warhawk team captain has built a reputation as one of the most competitive poker players in poker today.

Baldwin is coming off a huge payday at a Bellagio's World Poker Tour Championship in Las Vegas with a runner-up finish to David Williams.

Williams defeated reigning Card Player Magazine Player of the Year Eric Baldwin (who won $1,034,715) in a final that saw Williams enter with and maintain a vast chip lead throughout.

For runner-up Baldwin, the high finish serves as validation for his Player of the Year title. "It's a real big deal," Baldwin said, enthused. "With all the success I had last year, none of it was in super high-profile tournaments. I always have friends and family asking, 'When will I see you on TV?' and it'll be nice to finally have an answer for them. I also realize it's tough to make a name for yourself in poker nowadays because the market's really saturated with stars. The original generation is still playing. This helps, though, and I picked a great tournament to finally break through on TV."

Baldwin will be welcomed by Chancellor Richard Telfer and will throw out the first pitch for today’s UW-Oshkosh doubleheader. Telfer will honor Eric by naming the clubhouse at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium, “The Eric Baldwin Clubhouse”.
Ceremonies will begin prior to today's first game.

Vodenlich: pitching meltdown in 15-9 loss unacceptable

The UW-Whitewater baseball team appeared on the way to a sweep of second-pace UW-Stevens Point Monday afternoon at Jim Miller Stadium. The Warhawks led 5-2 entering the eighth inning of game-two of the twinbill. Inexplicably the UWW pitching staff would surrender four runs in the eighth and nine more in the ninth resulting in a frustrating 15-9 Warhawk loss.

Following the game, head coach John Vodenlich took his pitching staff to the outfield where they would run for approximately 30 minutes.

“The guys that are running out there are better than that,” Vodenlich told reporters following the 15-9 loss. “They’re not running as punishment, they are a good pitching staff and are responsible for our 27 wins. They also, collectively, could have finished that game.”

The Pointers scored nine runs in the top of the ninth to take a 15-6 lead. UW-W used six pitchers in the inning as Point brought thirteen batters to the plate. The inning featured five consecutive RBI singles with two outs.

“It’s not acceptable to give up 15 runs and they know it,” Vodenlich said. “If I didn’t think we had talent on our (pitching) staff we’d be happy with the split. We are a lot deeper and a lot better than we showed today.”

It won’t take long for the Warhawks to get their next test. UW-Oshkosh returns to Whitewater Wednesday for a doubleheader. The Hawks will wrap up its WIAC schedule over the weekend with four games at Superior.

Poker Star Eric Baldwin to be honored Wednesday at Miller Stadium

Eric Baldwin, a highly successful player on the Pro Poker Tour, will be back in Whitewater on Wednesday (4/28) for the UW-Whitewater vs. UW-Oshkosh doubleheader at Jim Miller Stadium. Eric donated $200,000 to UW-Whitewater Baseball for field lights. His gift enabled us to receive the bid to host the 2010 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional in May.

Baldwin will be welcomed by Chancellor Richard Telfer and will throw out the first pitch for the UW-Oshkosh doubleheader. Telfer will honor Eric by naming the clubhouse at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium, “The Eric Baldwin Clubhouse”. Baldwin donated $200,000 to UW-Whitewater baseball for field lights, which helped the Warhawks earn a bid to host a NCAA Division III regional May 19-23.

Baldwin earned $1,034,715 this past weekend by placing second place at the World Poker Tour at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. This puts his career winnings close to $4 million. Baldwin was named 2009 Player of the Year by CardPlayer magazine.

In Baldwin's 2005 championship season, the Warhawks had a record of 45-7 and defeated NY-Cortland 11-4 in the championship game. Baldwin played and started in all 52 games and batted .356.

Eric will be available for autographs.

Vodenlich: Hawks need to play with more consistency

UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point entered the weekend with the Warhawks leading the second-place Pointers by three games in the WIAC standings. Point heads back home Monday night still three games back after splitting the extended weekend doubleheaders.

“You can look at it at the start of the week that we did what we needed to to stay where we are,” UWW head coach John Vodenlich told reporters following Monday’s doubleheader sweep. “All that is good but we were better than them (Point) today except for the end and that is very frustrating.”

Of course winning the WIAC regular season title is a big goal for Whitewater, Coach Vodenlich talks about the need to play more consistent the final 10 days of the regular season.

“I don’t want our guys to spend too much time worrying about winning the title,” Vodenlich said. “What we need to do is to start playing better baseball consistently and the rest of the stuff will fall in place..

The Hawks will wind up its eight-game home stand Wednesday by hosting UW-Oshkosh in doubleheader action.

The Warhawks will honor former player Eric Baldwin prior to game-one on Wednesday. Baldwin, now a professional poker player, was a captain on UWW’s 2005 National Championship team. Earlier this year Baldwin donated $200 thousand to the UW-Whitewater baseball program. The funding went to purchase lights for the new James B. Miller baseball complex.

Hawks fall 15-9 in game-two vs Stevens Point

The UW-Whitewater baseball team appeared on the way to a sweep of Monday afternoon’s doubleheader against second place UW-Stevens Point. The Warhawks won game-one 8-1 behind the solid pitching combination of Aaron Leitner and Ben Versnik.

Whitewater took a 5-2 lead into the eighth inning of game two.

Point scored four in the top of the eighth to take a 6-5 lead. Whitewater fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Nick Rechlitz,

The Pointers scored nine runs in the top of the ninth to take a 15-6 lead. UW-W used six pitchers in the inning as Point brought thirteen batters to the plate. The inning featured five consecutive RBI singles with two outs.

The 'Hawks mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth by scoring three runs but fell short.

“We won 16 innings today, Warhawk head coach John Vodenlich said following game two. “We can’t feel good about winning 16 (innings) and not being able to win the other two.”

For the day the Warhawks totaled 22 hits (11 in each game), and had six players record multiple hits. Kuhlmann and Donovan each drove in four runs while Coe chipped in two.

UW-Whitewater will host UW-Oshkosh in a twinbill beginning at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, April 28. The Warhawks will honor former player Eric Baldwin at the game for his donation of $200 thousand to the program to buy lights for the field..

Leitner & Versnik pitch UWW to 8-1 win over UWSP in Monday's game-one

The Warhawk baseball team rode the pitching combo of Aaron Leitner and Ben Versnnik to an 8-1 win over UW-Stevens Point in game one of Monday's doubleheader at James B. Miller Stadium. Leitner pitched 7.1 innings to run his record to 3-1 on the season. Versnik retired all five batters he faced to pick up his seventh save of the season..

The Warhawks finished with 13 hits vs Point's Scott Williams. Jeff Donovan led the way going two for four with three RBI. Dan Putnam, Ben Kuhlman, Rob Kenseth and Mike Kenseth also added two hits for Whitewater.

Eric Fritz, the WIAC's leading hitter wnt two for four and drove in the lone fun for the Pointers.


With the victory the Warhawks are now 15 & 2 in the WIAC and 27 & 3 overall. Stevens Point fall to 10 & 5 in the conference and 21 & 9 overall.

Warhawk home games now available via Live Stats

UW-Whitewater Sports Information debuted Live Stats online during Saturday's doubleheader vs. Stevens Point at James Miller Stadium. The service is available following the baseball complex being wired to allow computer use.

Whitewater's Live Stats are outstanding. The new software is an upgrade over a number of other Live Stat programs currently online.

With Live Stats now available, I ask that readers of Voiceseyeonbasebaseball click onto the UW-Whitewater athletics site to follow Warhawk home games in real time.

To access the UW-W home game live stats online, click onto:

http://www.sidearmstats.com/uww/baseball/index.htm

Warhawks-Pointers split doubleheader

The top two teams in the WIAC opened the weekend with a split on Saturday. The Warhawks held on for a 7-5 victory in the opener. The Pointers took the nightcap 12-1.

Jeff Donovan ripped a first inning home run to give Whitewater an early 1-0 lead in Saturday's first game. The Warhawks extended the lead to 6-1 after seven innings.

The Pointers bounced back in the eighth, scoring four runs to cut the lead to 6-5.

The Hawks scored an insurance run in the eighth inning. Ben Versnick recorded the final five outs to pick up his sixth save of the season.

Warhawk starting pitcher, Riley Tincher, remained undefeated, upping his mark to 9-0 with seven and a third innings of work. He allowed eight hits and four earned runs, walking none and striking out six.

Jordan Stine and Nick Rechlitz had two hits apiece for UW-W. Point was paced by Eric Fritz, Justin Jirschele and Sam Spurney, each with a pair of hits. Tyler Lorenz, 4-3, took the loss.

Game two was a totally different story. Stevens Point scored in six of the eight innings to cruise to 12-1 eight inning/run differential victory.

Senior right-hander Jason Hooper, 3-2, took the loss for UW-W. The Warhawks used four pitchers in the game. Second baseman Ben Kuhlmann went 3x4 to lead Warhawk hitters, his twelfth multiple hit game of the season for UW-W.

Jordan Stine had two hits in each game, givng him a team high thirteen multiple hit games for the season, tied with Jeff Donovan.

Joel Delorit, a junior lefty, upped his record to 4-3 with a complete game. Jirschele went 4x5 for the Point.

UW-Whitewater is 26-3 overall and 14-2 in the WIAC. Stevens Point is 21-8. and 10-4 in league play. The teams will play again Sunday weather permitting.

Game Two Final Score: UWSP 12, UWW 1 (8 innings/run rule)

Full story on today's double header coming up later this evening

END OF SEVEN INNINGS: UWSP 10, UWW 0

Warhawks get on the board with a Rob Coe RBI single knocking in Jordan Stine.

END OF SIX: UWSP 10, UWW 1

Point pulling away in game-two 9-0

The Pointers add 4 in the fourth and 1 in the fifth.

END OF FIVE INNINGS: UWSP 9, UWW 0

** UW-Whitewater has initiated LIVE STAT's beinning today. The Web address is:
http://www.sidearmstats.com/uww/baseball/index.htm

Pointers score three in the third.

END OF THREE: UWSP 4, UWW 0

Poiters go in order in the second. Whitewater gets back to back hits by Stine and Kuhlmann to open rhw Hawk second but could not score.

END OF TWO: UWSP 3, UWW 0

UWSP takes an early lead in game-two. Brad Archambeau doubles home Jeremy Richter in the top of the first inning. Delorit retires UWW 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first.

END OF 1ST INNING: UWSP 1, UWW 0

Game-Two underway at the Mills

Game two is underway. Joel Delorit (3-3) gets the start for the Pointers. Jason Hooper (3 & 1) is on the hill for the Warhawks.

Gametime temperature: 48 degrees with light fog

Hawks open weekend with 7-5 win over Stevens Point

The Warhawks opened the weekend with a 7-5 win over UW-Stevens Point in the first game of Saturday's boubleheader at Jim Miller Stadium.

The Warhawks took a 6-l lead into the eighth inning. Stevens Point exploded for four in the eighth to cut the UWW lead to 6-5. Whitewater tackled on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Ben Versnick retired the final five batters to record his sixthh save of the season.

Riley Ticher went 7.1 innnings to record his 9th win of the season.Tyler Lorenz took the loss for the Pointers and is now 4 & 3 on the season.

More on game-one coming up this eveing.

Warhawks grind out 2 wins over UW-Oshkosh

It might not have been the most scintillating baseball of the season but the UW-Whitewater baseball team picked up two more wins Wednesday afternoon on Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium.

"In my opinion we didn’t swing the bats very well, we didn’t play all that well, but we played well enough at times,” Warhawk head coach John Vodenlich said following Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep of UW-Oshkosh. “We had some key defensive plays, some double plays. We had good pitching when we needed good pitching, when we needed some runs we got some barrels on the ball. By know means did I think that was one of our better doubleheaders but in the end we got two victories.

Back at the start of the WIAC portion of the schedule, Vodenlich talked about “the journey” of going through the conference season. At this point of the year it is the successful teams that can grind out victories as was the case on Wednesday.

“Right now it is the typical time when the grind begins to get to you,” Vodenlich said. “If you work through it with a little discipline, the team will refresh.”

The Warhawks are now 24-2, and 13 & 1 in the WIAC, two games ahead of second place UW-Stevens Point. The Pointers travel to Whitewater for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at Jim Miller Stadium beginning at 12-Noon both days.

Hawks take two from UW-Oshkosh

The UW-Whitewater baseball team used solid pithing to won both ends of the double hitter with Oshkosh 2-1, 8-5 Wednesday afternoon at Jim Miller Stadium.

As the score would suggest game one was a pitcher's duel. Jeff Donovan (2-0)(see adjacent photo) started for the Whitewater and got the win going seven innings, giving up the only Oshkosh run on three hits with four strikeouts. Riley Tincher relieved Donovan pitching a scoreless eighth inning and Ben Versnik picked up his fourth save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth.

UW-Whitewater scored a single run in the first when Donovan singled, advanced to second on a wild pick off attempt and then advanced to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches. The Hawks scored their second run in the second inning on a Dan Putnam RBI single. Oshkosh's only run came in the seventh on a pair of doubles. Ryan Leavitt, Donovan, Putnam and Rick Rechlitz had the Warhawks four hits in the game.

In game-two Oshkosh took the early lead with a run in the third inning. Whitewater took the lead in the sixth on three hits and a Titan error. Oshkosh tied the game with a pair of runs in the seventh highlighted by a home run from Troy Mrvicka. The Warhawks answered back with a big inning scoring five runs in the seventh on four hits and a couple of errors by the Titans. Oshkosh threatened in the eighth scoring a pair of runs and leaving the bases loaded.

Aaron Lietner started for Whitewater giving up one run on four hits, a walk and a strikeout. Kyle Lee relieved him but pitched to just a single hitter giving up the home run by Mrkvicka. Riley Tincher (8-0) who recorded the three outs in the seventh and was credited with the win. Jason Hooper relieved Tincher and Ben Versnik retired the final four hitters in order to record his second save of the day and fifth of the season.

Putnam, Rob Coe, Jordan Stine and Mike Kenseth had two hits apiece for UW-W in a twelve hit attack. Derek Layton had two hits to lead Titan batters.

UW-Whitewater is 24-2 overall and 13-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Warhawks have won six in a row. UW-Oshkosh is 12-16, and 5-9 in league play.

Kyle Lee a bulldog out of the bullpen for the Hawks

One of the most important aspects of the Warhawk baseball team’s 23 & 2 start to the season has been the pitching of sophomore Kyle Lee (adjacent photo courtesy of UWW Athletics) The Beaver Dam native has appeared in the conference high 13 games, all in relief, and is 6 & 0 with 1 save on the season. In 34 innings pitched, Lee has struck out 30 while walking just 6 batters.

According to head coach John Vodenlich, Lee has worked extremely hard to get to where he is right now and is has a “bulldog” mentality on the mound.

“Kyle is a very confident kid,” Vodenlich said. “He has done a tremendous job of job of not only doing what he needs to do from a pitching standpoint but also bringing incredible intensity, enthusiasm and confidence and that has been very contagious for our team.”

Lee said Lee reminds him of Kevin Tomasiewicz, one of the key components on the Warhawks’ 2005 national championship team.

“You know Kevin came out of the bullpen in the first two years of his career,” Vodenlich tells the Voices Eye on Baseball Blog. “Kevin also possessed high intensity, high confidence, and big time enthusiasm and when he came into a game he seemed to elevate the play of the rest of his team. I’m seeing the same thing with Kyle on the mound.”

Lee has been Whitewater’s No. 1 relief pitcher virtually all season.

“I feel very confident that we can use Kyle every game of a four-game series and know that he is going to compete and do a very good job.” Vodenlich said.

Hawks open eight-game homestand on Wednesday vs Oshkosh

The UW-Whitewater baseball team opens its eight-game home stand in first place in the WIAC. The Warhawks (23-2, 11-1) open the week by hosting UW-Oshkosh (12-14, 5-7) in doubleheader action Wednesday at James B. Miller Stadium. This weekend, second place Stevens Point will be in town for doubleheader action on Saturday and Sunday. Oshkosh is back for another twin bill next Wednesday.

“When it is all said and done we (Warhawks) have to play Oshkosh and Stevens Point,” UWW head coach John Vodenlich tells Voices Eye on Baseball. “That’s what its going to come down to. It is what winning a title has come down to each year I’ve been here.”

Whitewater, Oshkosh and Stevens Point have dominated WIAC baseball for a long time. Since 1992, it has been Whitewater, Oshkosh or Stevens Point that has won the conference title outright, or shared the title. The only other school to get a piece of a conference title during this time span was UW-La Crosse in 2000.

While the eight-game home stand will have a lot to say on Whitewater’s bid for a ninth WIAC title in the past 11 years, For Coach Vodenlich, there is plenty to still be accomplished.

“Nothings getting any easier, we must continue pressing it, every game is important” Vodenlich said. Superior (the team UWW winds up the regular season with) is playing very good baseball right now. I hate to give you clichés but we have to focus on Wednesday’s doubleheader with Oshkosh and that’s it.

Other games in the WIAC on Wednesday include; Superior at Stout, Platteville at La Crosse, and Stevens Point stepping out of the conference to host Edgewood.

Hawks ranked No. 1 by ABCA

The UW-Whitewater baseball team is ranked No. 1 in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association. The No. 1 ranking comes just one day after the Warhawks' No. 2 ranking in the D3baseball.com Top 25.

The Warhawks are 23-2 overall and 11-1 in the WIAC.

UW-Whitewater will host UW-Oshkosh for a doubleheader on Wednesday (4/21)beginning at 1:00 pm. All home games are played at Prucha Field at Miller Stadium, with a free parking lot adjacent to the field.

The first game of Wednesday's doubleheader will be broadcast live on KOOL 106.5. and will be streamed via internet at: mms://vod.uww.edu/uwwsports2

Warhawks No. 2 in this week's D3baseball.com Top 25

The UW-Whitewater baseball team jumped another notch in this week’s D3baseball.com Top 25 Rankings. The Warhawks (23-2) jumps one spot from its No. 3 ranking last week. Johns Hopkins (Maryland) (30-3) replaces St. Thomas (Minn) (20-4) at No. 1, St. Thomas drops to No. 3 followed by Chapman (Calif) and Marrietta (Ohio) at No. 5.

With the shakeup in this week’s poll, Johns Hopkins garnered 600 votes including 11 first place votes. Whitewater garnered 594 votes including 10 first place votes.

UW-Stevens Point dropped one spot to No. 22 in this week’s poll.

The American Baseball Coaches Association Poll will be released Wednesday, April 20.

Leavitt outstanding in lead-off spot over the weekend

UW-Whitewater head coach John Vodenlich entered the weekend juggling the Warhawks’ batting order. Ryan Levitt (see adjacent photo) was in the lead-off slot all weekend. The sophomore from Merrill responded by going 7 for 20 from the plate, scoring 7 runs with 6 RBI and 2 home runs.

The Hawks’ designated hitter tells Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com that his approach at the plate in the No. 1 slot is a bit different than farther down the batting order.

“The biggest thing for me is just seeing pitches so the guys behind me know what the pitcher has.” Leavitt said following Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of La Crosse.

Leavitt is batting .406 with 4 home runs and 25 RBI.

One of the keys to the Hawks success this season has been the consistency of hitting throughout the batting order.

Case in point occurred in game-two on Sunday when UW-La Crosse took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning.

The Warhawks scored five runs in the frame with five different players recording an RBI. Jordan Stine, Rob Coe, Mike Kenseth, Nick Rechlitz, and Daniel Putnam each drove in a run for UW-W who batted around in the inning.

The Warhawks have shown an amazing resiliency at the plate for much of the season.

“This team has the spirit,” John Vodenlich said following Sunday’s four-game sweep of the Eagles. “They have a come-from-behind spirit . They have a lot of confidence going into the next couple of weeks. Hey, anyway you cut it that was four victories on the road.

The Hawks are now 23 & 2 overall and 11-2 in the WIAC.

They are back home for an eight-game homestand. UW-Oshkosh will be in town for a twin bill on Wednesday. UW-Stevens Point, now in second place, three games back in the standings, invades Jim Miller Stadium for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend. Oshkosh will be back for another doubleheader a week from Wednesday.

A reminder…. KOOL 106.5 will be broadcast several of the games during the upcoming homestand. Veteran sportscaster’s Gary Douglas and Tom Pattison will have the radio call of game-one vs. Oshkosh on Wednesday. They will broadcast both games of Saturday’s doubleheader vs. UW-Stevens Point along with the first game of the April 28th doubleheader vs. Oshkosh.

The radio station is prevented from airing this Sunday’s doubleheader with Stevens Point due to contract obligations with NASCAR.

For those of you outside the KOOL 106.5 listening area, the broadcasts will be streamed. More information on that later this week.

Hawks return home with two game lead in the WIAC

The UW-Whitewater baseball team won four straight over the weekend in La Crosse. The Warhawks opened the weekend with 13-10 and 5-4 (10 innings) wins on Saturday.
On Sunday, Whitewater won game one 8-6 and game two 8-4. Despite UW-Whitewater being in first place in the WIAC and La Crosse in last place, all four games were highly competitive as the Warhawks had to come from behind to win three of the four games.
“I thought we really played well at times,” UWW head coach John Vodenlich tells Tom Pattison of Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com. “This team has a spirit – they have a little come from behind spirit. They have quite a bit of confidence going into the next couple weeks of conference play. No matter how you cut it, that was four road wins over the weekend.”
Coming up with timely hits is crucial in winning games – particularly on the road. In both games Sunday, Whitewater fell behind late in both games but were immediately able to come-from-behind in the next inning for the win.
Whitewater is now 23 & 2 on the season and 9 & 1 in the WIAC. The Hawks have opened up a two-game lead over UW-Stevens Point for the conference lead. Stevens Point split with UW-Superior on Sunday.
Now it is back home for Whitewater for a pair of doubleheaders against UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stevens Point.
“We are glad to be going home and we are really looking forward to the next couple of series." Vodenlich said.

Hawks win night cap 8-4, sweep four straight at La Crosse

Hawks win night cap 8-4, sweep four from La Crosse. Heading back to Whitewater. Game
stories will be posted later tonight.

Voice -

Hawks score 5 in 9th to take 8-4 lead

Kuhlmann leads off UW 9th with a walk. Passed ball - Kuhlmann to 2nd. Donovan hit by pitch. Cladis on to run for Donovan. NEW PITCHER: Tim Verhein.
Jordan Stinet plate, 1-0 pitch Verhein wild pich runners move up. Stine base hit through a drawn in infield driving in Kuhlman with the game-tying run. Coe follows with another RBI single tio give the Warhawks a 5-4 lead with 0 outs. Travis Wessels bunt mishandled for error -runners at 1st and 3rd. Mike Kenseth RBI SAC fly, followed by Bick Rechlitz RBI sac fly. Levitt single to center. Putnam Texas League single - thrown out trying to stretch play into double.

I am heading down to the field - I'll have a final score in about a half-hour.

UWL takes 4-3 lead going into 9th inning

Hawks 1, 2, 3 in top of 8th

Kyle Lee on to pitch to start bottom of 8th...

one-out double off the fence in left for Matt Johnson. New pitcher for Warhawks is Eric Schmitz. Following a stike out for Schmitz, Matt Trocke slams two run HR to give UWL 4-3 lead heading into the 9th inning

entering 8th inning: UWW 3, UWL 2

Tim Conroy knocks in run No. 3 with an RBI single through a drown in infield

1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB

Following an infield single to lead off the bottom of the 7th, Zach Harazin slams a two-run homer to left - his 3rd HR of the weekend.

2 runs, 2 hits, 0 error, 0 LOB

END OF SEVEN INNNINGS - UWW 3, UWL 2

Score stays 2-0 through six innings

Warhawks still up 2-0 heading into the seventh. Rob Coe picks off UWL runner at first two end Eagle sixth inning

Tincher's no-hit bid ends in 5th inning

Hawks three up and three down in the top of the 5th.

Tincher's no-hit bid ends with two out in the 5th inning on Jay Fant's solid single to center. Coutier immediately follows with another base hit. Tincher gets out of it with a strike out to end the inning.

End of 5 Innings: UWW 2, UWL 0

UWW leads 2-0 through four innings

Hawks threaten but are held scoreless in the top of the 4th inning.

0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base


For UWL in the 4th inning - 3 up and 3 down.

Line Score through 4 Innings

UWW: 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB
UWL: 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB

UWW adds lead in the 3rd inning

#rd Inning

Rechlitz leads off 3rd inning with bunt single, Leavitt flies to deep left, Rechlitz steals second on first pitch to Putnam, Putnam grounds to second - Rechlitz advance to third, Wild pitch to Kuhlmann scores Rechlitz from third, Kuhlman strikes out to end inning

1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB

Eagles 3 up and 3 down woth the help of a Donovan to Kenseth to Donovan double play and diving catch in center Jordan Stein for final out of the inning.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB

END OF 3 INNINGS: UWW 2, UWL 0

6 up, 6 down in second inning

2nd Inning - Game 2

Hawks go quietly in second - 1-2-3

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB

Tincher gets Eagles 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the secone

UWW 1, UWL 0 - End of Two Innings

Scoreless through 1 inning

First Inning - Game 2

Jeff Donovan gives UWW the lead in the 1st inning with an RBI double to center

1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base

Geary leads off by grounding out to second, Trocie ground to short stop, Fanta ground to SS

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB

Game-two underway in LAX

Game-two from La Crosse will have Riley Tincher for UWW. La Crosse will go with senior left-handed pitchern Brandon Walczak.

Gametime temperature 64 degrees under sunny skies

Hawks win game-one 8-6

It is over in game-one in La Crosse as the Warhawks come from behind for AN 8-6 win over UW-La Crosse.
The Eagles led 6-5 entering the 8th. Ryan Leavitt made the UWL shortlived by blasting a three-run homer in the top of the 8th to give the Hawks an 8-6 lead that they would hold in the 9th inning.

Bryan Dominik, one of four pitchers picked up the win. Garrett Scray took the loss for the Eagles.

The Final Line Score

UWW: 8 runs, 10 hits, 1 error, 8 left on base
UWL: 6 rus, 7 hits, 4 errors, 6 left on base

Game two will begin in 15 minutes

Leavitt 3 run homer gets lead back for Hawks

EIGHTH INNING

Kenseth grounds out, Conroy singles to right, Rechlitz hit by a pitch (Hawks 1st & 2nd, 1 out), Leavitt laces a 3-run homer to give the Warhawks an 8-6 lead with one out in the 8th inning. Donovan flies out to left, Kuhlman flies to right to end
innning.

3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors

Kyle Lee on to pitch for UWW
Poppy erased 6-3, Steinhoff strikes out, Lodahl grounds out to second to end inning.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors

END OF EIGHT INNINGS: UWW 8, UWL 6

L a Crosse retakes lead in 7th

7th INNING

Donovan strikes out, Kuhlmann flies to center, Stine fly ball to left is dropped with Stine ending up at second (E-7), Rob Coe hit by pitch (1st & 2nd, two out), Putnam ground out to second to end inning.

0 Runs 0 Hits, 1 Error - 2 left on base

Jacobson leads off bottom of 7th with a walk, Lance Poppy lines a single to left, Steinhoff singles to load bases with 0 outs, Hooper walks Lodahl a run scores (RBI).
Adam Dominik on to pitch for Whitewater. Cloutier RBI single, Steinhoff caught rounding 2nd 8-4-6. Jay FantaRBI bad hop double down left field line,
Trocie walks (1 & 2, 1 out). Harazin FC at 3rd (RBI) giving La Croose a 6-5 lead. Dominik gets out of the inning with a strike out.

5 runs, 4 hits, 1 error

END OF 7 INNINGS, UWL 6, UWW 5

Hawks extend lead in 6th Inning

6TH INNING

Hawks score two more in the top of the 6th inning, one on a misplay on double play attempt, the second on a Rechlitz RBI single.

2 Runs, 2 hits, 1 error



Matt Trocie pops to Kuhlmann at 2nd, Fanta strikes out swinging, Zach Harazin singles to center, Harazin picked off 2-3-6 to end inning.

0 Runs 0 Hits, 0 Errors

END OF SIX INNINGS; UWW 5, UWL 1

Hawks take lead 3-1 after 5

FIFTH INNING

Mike Kenseth leads off with a single to right (Hawks 1st hit), Conroy singles down
the right field line with Kenseth moving to 3rd. Hawks attempt double steal - Kenseth thrown out at home Conroy advances to 2nd. Rechlitz base hit, Conroy to 3rd.
1st and 3rd (1 out) leavitt RBI single to right - Rechlitz advances to second. Donovan flies to left. Ben Kuhlman doubles to center knncking in Rechlitz and Leavitt to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead. Jordan Stine strikes

3 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors

Lodahl leads off with walk before Hooper retires the next three in order

END TO FIVE: UWW 3, UWL 1

Eagles draw first blood in 4th inning

Whitewater half of the fourth - two strikeouts and ground out to

0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors

Eagles draw first blood whem Brett Jacobson's two-outfly ball to left center is dropped for a three base error, Lance Poppy walks to put runners at 1st and 3rd, Hooper gets a stike out to end the inning.

1 Run, 0 hits, 1 error

END OF 4 INNINGS: UWL 1, UWW 0

UWW 0, UWL 0 through 3 innings

Top of 3rd inning...
Nick Rechlitz hit by pitch, Advances to second on wil pick-off attempt by UWL pitcher Levi Adank, two pitches later Adank suffers injury on pitch to Ryan Levitt - leaves game for RHP Garrett Scray, Leavitt foul pop to 1st baseman, Jeff Donovan stikes out, fouls out to 1st.

0 Runs, 0 Hits 0 Errors
Lodahl ground out Donovan to Hooper, ground out, Greary ground out to 2nd

END OF 3 INNINGS: UWW 0, UWL 0

No Score Thru 2nd Inning

Top of 2nd inning
Stine reaches on error by 1st baseman, Stine moved to second on FC by Coe, Putnam strikes out looking, Kenseth walks, Conroy flies right
0 runs - 0 hits - 0 errors

Bottom of 2nd inning
Foul pop to catcher, Brett Jacobson double to center field just over glove of Jordan Stine, Poppy ground out to short - Jacobson advances to third, line out to third
0 runs - 0 hits - 0 errors

END OF 2ND INNING:: UWW 0, UWL 0

UWW 0, UWL 0 End of 1 inning

Top of 1st:
3 up – 3 down. Donovan walked on four pitches – erased on double play to end inning.

Bottom of 1st
3 up, 3 down

Day to underway in LAX

I am in the North Campus Field media center and will be blogging all afternoon...

Jason Hooper (UWW) vs Levi Adank (UWL) in game-one this afternoon.

Not a cloud in the sky - gametime temperature is 61 degrees

Editors note on blogging from Sunday's action in La Crosse

Just a note in regards to blogging live from La Crosse this afternoon...

I may or may not have access to the media box at North Campus Field in La Crosse.

If I do have access I will be blogging live all afternoon long. If I don't have access, I will have a short blog with final score after each game and will have full stories online when I get back to Whitewater tonight

Voice -

If winning in the WIAC was easy everybody would do it

There is an old saying, if it was easy everybody would do it. If you watched Saturday’s doubleheader at La Crosse you soon realize that it was anything but easy for the UW-Whitewater baseball team to put together 13-10 and 5-4 victories to stay on top of the WIAC by a game over UW-Stevens Point.

“Nothing in our league is easy,” Hawks’ head coach John Vodenlich indicated following Saturday’s action. “You look at La Crosses’ record and to think they are not a quality program would be wrong - the same with Stout.

I don’t ever expect anything easy in our league nor will it be the rest of the way.

Following Sunday’s doubleheader at La Crosse it will be back home for a Wednesday twin bill vs. UW-Oshkosh. Next weekend Whitewater will host a pair of doubleheaders against second-place UW-Stevens Point. The following Wednesday Oshkosh returns to James B. Miller Stadium for another pair of games.

KOOL 106.5 will be broadcasting a number of games in the upcoming home-stand. Gary Douglas and Tom Pattison are scheduled to broadcast the first game of Wednesday’s twin bill vs. UW-Oshkosh. The veteran duo will have the call of both games of Saturday’s doubleheader against second place UW-Stevens Point. The Sunday doubleheader against Point WILL NOT be broadcast due to KOOL 106.5’s contractual agreement with NASCAR. The following Wednesday’s first game vs. Oshkosh will also be broadcast live.

A week of reckoning in the race for the 2010 WIAC championship as the Warhawks look for a ninth title in the last 11 years.

WIAC Scoreboard (Saturday, 4/17)

UW-Oshkosh 14, UW-Platteville 3
UW-Platteville 5, UW-Oshkosh 4

UW-Stevens Point 11, UW-Superior 9
UW-Stevens Point 16, UW-Superior 14

UW-Whitewater 13, UW-La Crosse 10
UW-Whitewater 5, UW-La Crosse 4 (10 innings)

Bethel (MN) 6, UW-Stout 5
Bethel (MN) 24, UW-Stout 2

Hawks need extra innings to beat UWL 5-4 in 10 innings

In the second game of Saturday's twin bill in La Crosse, 1st place UW-Whitewater scratched and clawed its way to a 5-4 win in ten innings.

As was the case in game-one, Jeff Donovan hit another 1st inning two-run homer to give the Hawks the early lead. (see adjacent photo) La Crosse evened the score at 2-2.

The Warhawks took back the lead in the top of the seventh when Ben Kuhlmann scored on a wild pitch and added another in the top of the eighth on a solo homerun by Nick Rechlitz.

UW-L again knotted the score at 4-4 with two runs in the bottom of the eighth after a homerun by Zach Harazin.

Neither team could score in the ninth so it was on to bonus baseball. Mike Kenseth doubled to start the tenth and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Tim Conroy. Rechlitz lined out to the first baseman in an attempt to get home the go-ahead run, but Kenseth ended up scoring on a wild pitch to give the Warhawks the lead for good.

Things did get interesting in the bottom of the tenth as Jason Hooper came in and walked the first batter, Corey Geary. La Crosse laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second and then a single moved him to third. With runners at the corners and one out, Hooper got Harazin to fly out to right and Daniel Putnam gunned down Geary at the plate to complete the double-play and the game.

Lee earned the victory in game two pitching just one scoreless inning and facing the minimum number of batters. Hooper earned his first save of the season.

UW-W will face-off against La Crosse again on Sunday in a twinbill beginning at noon.

Hawks use long ball to beat UWL 13-10 in Saturday's game-one

The wind was blowing out to left field at more than 20 mph and when that happens all bets are off. Whitewater entered the day in first place in the WIAC. UW-La Crosse started Saturday in sixth place in the WIAC. Two blow outs for the Warhawks right? Anything but as UWW outscores UWL 13-10 in game-one. The Hawks take game-two 5-4 in 10 innings.

Jeff Donovan led the way in Saturday's opener going 3 for 6 at the plate including a two-run home run in the first and an RBI single in the second. The Hawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning.

UW-La Crosse rallied for three in the third to pull within 5-3. Ryan Leavitt, batting leadoff for the Hawks, went "downtown" cranking a two-run shot to extend the lead to 7-3.

The Wsrhawks score six in the the eighth inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Ben Kuhlman. (In the adjacent photo Ben Kulmann (left) is greeted at home plate by Jordan Stine following his eighth inning two-run homer)

The Eagles did get two back in the bottom of the ninth but Kyle Lee retired three straight to end the game. Lee earned the victory as he came on in relief of starter Aaron Leitner in the seventh. Lee gave up four hits and four runs while striking out four. He is now 5-0 this season.

Warhawks outlast La Crosse 13-10 in Game-One

When the wind is blowing outat 20 mph plus all bets are off.

Warhawks outlast LAX 13-10 in game one of Saturday's twin bill in La Crosse.

Much more to come this evening

Hawks lead 5-3 in fourth

Warhawks lead 5-3 after three innnings. Jeff Donovan cranks a 2-run homer in the 1st with an RBI single in the second. Aaron Leitner with the start in game-one for UWW. Ran into trouble in the 3rd giving up 3 runs on 3 hits.

By the way, the wind is now blowing out to left at 20+ mph

More to come

Voice -

Cool, windy day in LAX

Hello again everybody - Tom "Voice" Pattison reporting live from La Crosse.

Sunshine and very windy her in LAX. 58 degrees at gametime - NW winds at 20mph gusting to 28mph. wind blowing in from right field.

I'll be blogging every three innings.

Road trip continues in La Crosse this weekend

The UW-Whitewater baseball team now focuses on UW-La Crosse following Wednesday’s split of a doubleheader at Platteville,

The Warhawks 14-game win streak came to an end in game-two of the twin bill.

The Hawks won game-one 12-2 (7 inning run rule) highlighted by an eight-run sixth inning on only five hits. Platteville pitchers contributed four walks and a wild pitch, and the Warhawks made the most of their hits, with two doubles and a triple in the inning. Rightfielder Daniel Putnam doubled in two, Donovan singled in the third run, and another scored on an infield single by DH Ryan Leavitt. Leftfielder Tim Conroy had the big blow of the inning, tripling to right field for three runs. Run number eight came in on the wild pitch.

In game-two, UW-Whitewater's Jason Hooper, coming off Sunday's no-hitter, was roughed up early. UWP's Aaron Hopson hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and Tyler Jacobson slugged a two-run double in the second, giving the Pioneers a quick 4-0 lead. Hooper lasted just an inning-and-a-third on the mound. The Hawks sent four pitchers to the mound. as Kyle Lee and Ben Versnick each pitched two-and-two-thirds innings, giving up two runs each. Aaron Leitner was on the mound for the final inning-and-a-third giving up 0 runs while striking out two..

The 14 game winning streak is UWW’s longest since the 2005 squad opened with the season with18 straight wins on the way to the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championship.

The Hawks are back on the road over the weekend for four games at UW-La Crosse with doubleheaders on Saturday & Sunday.

UWL was swept by Stout yesterday as the Blue Devils won both games with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Stout won the first game 5-4 on Josh Anderson's bloop single to right field, driving in Ryan Gilbertson. The Blue Devils won game two with three runs in the bottom of the seventh on two errors and Jake Duske's walk-off two-run double.
UWL freshman Tim Verthein took the tough-luck losses in both games.

The Warhawks stay in first place in the WIAC with a 7-1 conference record, UW-Stevens Point is all alone in second place at 6-2, just a game back of Whitewater.

The UWSP hosts UW-Superior (2-2 conference mark) this weekend.

Wednesday (4/14) WIAC Scoreboard

ELSEWHERE IN THE WIAC ON WEDNESDAY


UW-Stevens Point 15, UW-Oshkosh 1 (Completion of 4/7 suspended game)


UW-Stevens Point 11, UW-Oshkosh 6 (Game 1)


UW-Stevens Point 14, UW-Oshkosh 4 (Game 2)


UW-Stout 5, UW-La Crosse 4 (Game 1)


UW-Stout 10, UW-La Crosse 9 (Game 2)

Warhawks 14 game win streak comes to an end

UW-Platteville beat third-ranked UW-Whitewater 8-4 Wednesday, ending the Warhawks' 14-game winning streak and earning a split of the doubleheader. The Warhawks won the opener 12-2 in seven innings at Kendall Murray Field.

UW-Whitewater's Jason Hooper,coming off Sunday's no-hitter was roughed up early. UWP's Aaron Hopson hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and Tyler Jacobson slugged a two-run double, giving the Pioneers a quick 4-0 lead. Hooper lasted just an inning-and-a-third on the mound. Kyle Lee and Ben Versnick each pitched two-and-two-thirds innings giving up two runs each. Aaron Leitner was on the mound for the final inning-and-a-third giving up 0 runs while striking out two.

The visiting Warhawks scored two in the third, but the Pioneers matched that with two in the bottom, as Levi Ney and Wade Axelson drove home runs. Jason Jacobson and Axelson hit run-scoring knocks in the seventh for an 8-2 lead.

UWW pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth, but Justin Cox retired Daniel Putnam, the WIAC's leading hitter, on a bases-loaded groundout to end the game.

The Warhawks had just eight hits in the game.

The Warhawks rolled 12-2 in game-one Wednesday. Riley Tincher fired a four-hitter to run his record ti 7 & 0.

With the split of today's doubleheader, Whitewater is 19-2 overall, 7-1 in the WIAC.
Platteville is now 12-9 overall and 2-6 in the WIAC

Hawks roll to 12-2 win in game-one today at Platteville

The Warhawks trailed 2-0 early, .but came roaring back for a 12 - 2 win in game-one of a twin-bill this afternoon in Platteville.

Ben Kuhlman’s leadoff solo home run in the fourth inning cut the Pioneer lead to 2-1. Jeff Donovan slammed a three run shot in the fifth to give the Warhawks a 4-2 lead.

The Hawks broke the game open by sending 13 batters to the plate. Whitewater scored eight in the inning led by Danny Putnam’s 2-run double and Tim Conroy’s bases loaded triple to score three.

The final line score in the game:

Whitewater: 12 runs, 10 hits, 1 error
Platteville: 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors

UW-Whitewater starting pitcher Riley Tincher goes the distance scattering 4 hits to run his record 7 & 0 on the season.

Whitewater is now 19-1 on the season and 7-0 in the WIAC. Game-two of today’s doubleheader will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.

Warhawks top nation in three statistical categories

The UW-Whitewater baseball team (18-1, 6-0) enters today's doubleheader at UW-Plattville with a game-an-a-half lead over UW-Stevens Point (3-2, 12-6) and UW-Oshkosh (3-2, 10-9) in the WIAC standings.

An interesting scenario today has Stevens Point at Oshkosh for two games. The two teams must also complete last week's suspended game in the fifth inning due to inclement weather. Point currently leads the Titans 11-1.

The Warhawks, who beat Platteville 15-2 and 7-6 last Friday in Platteville will enter today's action at Kendall Murray Field leading the nation in batting average (.402), scoring (12.5 runs per game, and winning percentage (.947 18-1).

I am not able to be in Platteville for today's twin bill, but I will be keeping my blog readers updated as the games proceed.

For Warhawk baseball fans wishing to follow in real time progress of today's games you may click onto UWP's live stats at:
http://www.uwplatt.edu/athletics/baseball/livestats/xlive.htm

WIAC Scoreboard and Schedule (4/14)

WIAC Results (Tuesday)

St. Olaf (MN) 10, UW-La Crosse 4
St. Olaf (MN) 4, UW-La Crosse 0


In the WIAC Today (Wdednesday)

UW-Stevens Point @ UW-Oshkosh (DH plus completion of April 7th suspended game)

UW-La Crosse @ UW-Stout (DH)

UW-Whitewater & UW-Platteville (DH)

No surprize: Hooper named WIAC Pitcher of the Week

Jason Hooper, Senior (Lake Mills), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Whitewater
Hooper pitched a no-hitter in a 5-0 victory over UW-Stout on April 11. For his effort, Hooper has been named the WIAC's Pitcher of the Week.

Hooper struck out eight batters and walked three enroute to the first no-hitter in program history since Adam Dominick and Steve Hedgepath combined to no-hit UW-Superior on April 20, 2008. Hooper’s effort was the first solo no-hitter since Todd Genke did it on April 7, 1993, against Carroll University (Wis.). He walked the second batter of the game and retired the next 13 before his next free pass. Hooper then sent the next nine batters back to the dugout before his final walk in the eighth inning. He retired the next three, including the final batter via strikeout to end the game. Hooper also started and pitched four innings against UW-Stout on April 10. He struck out four and gave up five hits in the 21-6 victory.

The Warhawks (18-1, 6-0_ are in Platteville today for a doubleheader with the UWP Pioneers. Whitewater swept a twin bill at Platteville last Friday.

Warhawks 18-1: No. 3 in D3baseball.com Top-25

The UW-Whitewater baseball team continues its climb in the D3baseball.com Top 25 Poll. The Warhawks (18-1) are up three spots to No. 3 in this week’s poll. Whitewater also garnered one 1st place vote by the panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country,

St. Thomas (Minn) (18-2) remains No. 1 in the poll. The Tommie’s had been a unanimous No. 1 for the past three weeks. In this week’s poll UST garnered 22 of the 25 first place votes.

This week’s poll keeps the top five ranked teams in the same order. Chapman (Calif) No. 2 with one first place vote, Whitewater 3rd, Heidelberg (Ohio) with one first place vote is No. 4 followed by Johns-Hopkins (Maryland) No. 5.

Ranked six through ten include: Wooster (Ohio), Marietta (Ohio), Trinity (Conn.) and Shenandoah (Virginia) and Pomona-Pitzer (California)

UW-Stevens Point (12-6) drops two spots to No. 21 in this week’s poll.

The next Amercian Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 won’t be released until April 20th. UW-Whitewater was ranked No. 3 in last weeks poll.

UW-Whitewater travels to Platteville Wednesday for a twin bill prior to doubleheaders at UW-La Crosse Saturday and Sunday.

Kenny a fixture at shortstop for the Warhawks

Mike Kenseth a steadying influence at shortstop for the UW-Whitewater baseball team. The senior out of West Allis Hale High School has been a fixture at shortstop for the Hawks since 2008 (when he shared time with Greg Harder), the year UW-Whitewater finished 3rd at the NCAA Division III World Series.

Not a flashy player, Kenseth brings a blue collar work ethic to the field that can’t be measured in statistics.

“I’m always looking for the next game,” Kenseth tells voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com “I’m always looking for the next competition.. You never settle for what you do – you always look to do better.”

Kenseth is off to a fast start in 2010 with a career high (to date) .449 batting average, second among starters for the Warhawks.

Sitting down in the batting order (batting 8th or 9th), Kenseth has consistently gotten on base for the potent top of Hawks’ batting order.

Kenseth’s statistics also show the over-all strength of ht 2010 UWW offense with “Kenny” scoring 24 runs even though he is hitting eighth or ninth in the batting order.

The Warhawks currently dominate the WIAC statistically with the Danny Putnam leading the conference in hitting with a .451 batting average. Kenseth is a close second at .446, with Jeff Donovan third at .441.

“For me, the thing once I’m in the batters box is don’t think,” Kenseth said following Sunday’s doubleheader action at Miller Stadium “When you get up there just see it and hit it. We’ve got great hitters one through nine in out batting order and a bunch of others that have done the job when getting the chance.”

With a .402 team batting average, the 2010 Hawks remind one of the 2008 Warhawks who made a serious run at a national championship.

“”Just like with that (2008) team everybody gets along team wise,” Kenseth said. “Its fun to come out to the park everyday, hit batting practice, take infield. Before you know it you look at the record and you say – hey we’re doing pretty good!

The Warhawks will take an 18-1 record into Wednesday’s doubleheader at Platteville. The Hawks are currently 6 & 0 in the WIAC. At 3-2 and a game-and-a-half back of UWW is UW-Stevens Point and UW-Oshkosh

“All we’re looking for is to go out there and have fun, and right now that’s what we are doing.”

Voice Commentary on Hooper and his no-hitter on Sunday

Being at James B. Miller Stadium on Sunday was extra-special.

It was in the sixth inning that I started to focus on the fact that Jason Hooper was “totally in charge” on the mound and was wondering to myself if a no-hitter might be on the horizon.

There is a well-known, unwritten rule, that you DON’T talk about a no-hitter bid prior the it actually happening. So I’m blogging, giving an inning-by-inning update of Sunday’s games vs. Stout.

I’m thinking to myself – “self, I CANNOT talk about Jason Hooper closing in on a no-hitter – how do I let my readers no something special is happening without breaking the unwritten rule?

I blogged at the end of five innings when the score was 1-1 - Dare I say we have a pitchers dual here at James B. Miller Stadium this afternoon.

Hawks go up 5-0 and I blog at the end of seven innings - Line Score though seven innings:
Whitewater: 5 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors
Stout: 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors

I'll keep you updated!

I’m desparately trying to tell those clicking onto http://voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com/ without mentioning that the story of the game is Hooper’s bid for the first complete game, single pitcher no-hitter in nearly two decades.

Hooper gets through top of eighth allowing just his third walk of the game.

Middle of 8th inning:

Warhawks 5
Blue Devils 0

I spent the final half-inning standing on-top of the UWW dugout taking photos and listening to the crowd below me, along with the Hawk players and coaches in the dugout, yelling encouragement out to Jason Hooper.

The No. 1 voice that I was hearing was Jim Miller, living and dying with each pitch while grilling below me.

Two ground outs in the ninth and finally, Hooper gets Jesse Brockman to strike out swinging and Hooper closes the deal on the first complete game no-hitter for a Warhawk picher since Todd Grenke accomplished the feat on April 7th, 1993 against Carroll College. Adam Dominick and Steve Hedgepath combined to pitch a no-hitter for Whitewater on April 20, 2008 against UW-Superior.

To put the no-hitter in perspective – most of the current UWW players were still in diapers when Genke fired his no-hitter!

What is most remarkable about Hooper’s fete is that he was pitching on basically one night’s rest. Hooper pitched four innings, and picked up the win, in Saturday’s 21-6 win in game-one of SATURDAY’S double-header at the Mills.

As the result of two straight days of postponing last Wednesday’s WIAC opening doubleheader at Platteville, Whitewater would have to play six games in the next three days. The first thing I thought is how would Coach Vodenlich set up his pitching for the back-to back-to back twin bills.

Following Sunday’s pitching gem by Hooper, Coach Vodenlich dropped this information on me: ”On Friday down in Platteville he (Hooper) said I know you and Coach (pitching coach Ryan Callahan) are thinking about how you are going to manage six games in the next three days. You know about saving some people (pitchers). Just to let you know, I can throw a complete game today (Friday), tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday if you need me to. I said, Hoop, we’re not going to ask that of you but I appreciate you telling me that you are ready to go. He obviously was ready to go!!

It says volumes about the heart, senior leadership, and skill of Jason Hooper.

WIAC Baseball Weekend Scoreboard & Schedule

Friday, April 9th

UW-Whitewater 15, UW-Platteville 2 (7 innings)
UW-Whitewater 7, UW-Platteville 6


Saturday, April 10th

UW-Oshkosh 10, UW-Superior 8
UW-Superior 11, UW-Oshkosh 3

UW-Stevens Point 14, UW-Platteville 5
UW-Stevens Point 11, UW-Platteville 10

UW-Whitewater 21, UW-Stout 6 (7 innings)
UW-Whitewater 15, UW-Stout 3 (7 innings)


Sunday, April 11th

UW-Oshkosh 13, UW-Superior 5
UW-Superior 21, UW-Oshkosh 5 (7 innings)

UW-Stevens Point 8, UW-Platteville 5
UW-Platteville 11, UW-Stevens Point 6

UW-Whitewater 10, UW-Stout 3
UW-Whitewater 5, UW-Stout 0

WIAC Standings (as of 11:30 p.m. Sunday April 11th)
UW-Whitewater: 6-0
UW-Stevens Point: 3-2
UW-Oshkosh: 3-2
UW-Superior: 2-2
UW-La Crosse: 1-1
UW-Platteville: 1-5
UW-Stout: 1-5

NON-CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY

St. Olaf (MN) @ UW-La Crosse

WIAC GAMES ON WEDNESDAY

UW-Stevens Point @ UW-Oshkosh (completion of 4/7 suspended game plus DH)
UW-Whitewater @ UW-Platteville (DH)
UW-La Crosse @ UW-Stout (DH)

Hooper throws no-hitter in Sunday's game-two vs. Stout

Jason Hooper pitched his way into the UW-Whitewater baseball record book Sunday afternoon. The senior from Lake Mills threw the first complete game no hitter since Todd Grenke accomplished the feat on April 7th, 1993 against Carroll College. Adam Dominick and Steve Hedgepath combined to pitch a no-hitter for Whitewater on April 20, 2008 against UW-Superior.

Hooper struckout eight batters and walked three en route to the 5-0 victory in game-two of Sunday’s doubleheader. Whitewater also won game-one of the doubleheader 10-3, giving the Warhawks a four-game sweep of UW-Stout over the weekend at James B. Miller Stadium.

Hooper is now 3-0 this season with a 1.52 ERA. He has worked 29.2 innings this season giving up just eighteen hits and five runs. He has fanned 33 batters while walking only eight. Hooper also pitched against Stout on Saturday in game one which makes his no-hitter even more impressive. He went four innings in Saturday's game in which the Warhawks won 21-6. That game ended after seven innings by virtue of the ten-run differential rule. Hooper earned the win in that game as well.

UWW now hits the road. It is back to Platteville Wednesday for another doubleheader with the Pioneers. The Warhawks swept UWP on Friday. The Hawks will be in La Crosse for doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.

Hawks roll in game-one of Sunday's DH vs UW-Stout

When your have the horses, why not ride them? UW-Whitewater head coach John Vodenlich elected to start Riley Tincher in game-one of Sunday’s doubleheader vs. UW-Stout at James B. Miller Stadium. Tincher flirted with a no hitter in Friday’s 15-2 win at Platteville. He pitched 5.2 innings, giving up just two hits and a run in the seven inning (run rule shortened game).

Tincher was not as sharp in Sunday’s start vs. Stout. The junior lefthander gave up 3 runs (only 1 earned) and 7 hits in 4.1 innings of work. Kyle Lee came on in the fifth and pitched 3.2 innings of no-hit ball while striking out four Blue Devil batters. The sophomore righthander picked up his fourth win of the season without a loss. Freshman Tom Kerndt pitched the ninth inning.

Stout went up 1-0 in the top of the third but the Warhawks responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own.

Five more runs for the 'Hawks in the bottom of the fourth gave them a 6-1 lead. Matt Beyer and Mike Kenseth drove in two runs a piece in the inning while Stine drove in the other run.

The Blue Devils tallied two runs in the top of the fifth but again the Warhawks retaliated with a run in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the bottom of the seventh.

Rob Coe went 3-for-3 in the game with one RBI and three runs. (see adjacent photo) Stine, Kenseth and Nick Rechlitz each had two hits in the game while Kenseth, Beyer and Leavitt had multiple RBIs.

The win is the 12th straight for UW-Whitewater who are ranked third in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 poll, and seventh in the most recent D3baseball.com Top 25 national poll.

Heading to bottom of 8th in Whitewater: Warhawks 5, Stout 0

Hooper gets through top of eighth allowing just his third walk of the game.

Middle of 8th inning:

Warhawks 5
Blue Devils 0

Warhawks extend led to 5-0 through 7 innings

Ben Kuhlmann's three run double to deep left-center field has extended Whitewater's lead to 5-0 through seven innings.

Line Score though seven innings:
Whitewater: 5 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors
Stout: 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors

I'll keep you updated!

Hooper shutting out Blue Devils through five innings

Jason Hooper has been dominate through five innings. Dare I say we have a pitchers dual at James B. Miller Stadium . (In the adjacent photo - Hooper coming off field following a one, two, three top of the fifth inning) End of 5 innings:
Warhawks 1, Stout 0

No score through 2 innings at the Mills

No score through two innings in game-two of today's doubleheader vs. Stout.
Hawks threatened in bottom of second but Stout's Hanson got out of a bases loaded jam.

UWW 0, UWS 0

Game-Two ready to get underway

Jason Hooper takes the hill for Whitewater in game-two. Nate Hanson gets the starting nod for the Blue Devils.

Gametime Temperature: 66 degrees under sunny skies

Hawks win 10-3 in game-one of Sunday's twin bill vs Stout

Tom Kerdnt came on for Kyle Lee in the ninth inning. The freshman from Lansing, Iowa faced just three batters in the ninth.

Whitewater wins 10-3 as the Warhawks raise its record to 17-1 on the season.

The game-ome box score:
UW-Whitewater: 10 runs, 12 hits, 2 errors
UW-Stout: 3 runs, 8 hits, 2 errors

Winning Pitcher: Riley Tincher (7-0)
Losing Pitcher Brandon Loertscher (1-2)

Hawks add two more: end of 7: UWW 10, Stout 3

The Warhawks extend the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning on a Rob Coe RBI single. Ryan Leavitt flies to center to plate Jeff Donovan from third base. Hawks strand two runners but extend lead to 10-3 thfough seven innings

Score remains 7-3 going into bottom of 7th inning

Three up and three down for both squads in the sixth inning. Kyle Lee, in relief of Riley Tincher in the 5th inning has retired five straight Stout batters.

Middle of 7th inning: UWW 7, Stout 3

Hawks get on the board again in fifth inning

Hawks get one back in bottom of fifth inning on Ryan Leavitt's sacrifice fly scoring Rob Coe from third base. End of 5 innings: Warhawks 7, Stout 3

Stout chases Tincher with 2 run 5th inning

Pitching on just one day of rest, Riley Tincher was able to go just 4.1 innings after giving up two runs in the fourth. Kyle Lee on in relief and retired two straight to get out o the inning. Middle of 5: UWW 6, Stout 3

Hawks score five in the fourth: UWW 6, UWS 1

Led by back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Mike Kenseth and Nick Rechlitz the Hawks put five on the Miller Stadium scoreboard for a 6-1 lead at the end of four innings.

Devils and Hawks trade runs in 3rd inning

Stout takes the lead in the top of the third inning on Jesse Brockman's Texas League double down the left field line.


Rechlitz leads off bottom of third with a solid single - Stine walks - Rechlitz scores as Putnam grounds into a double play.

End of 3 innings: UWW 1, Stout 1

No score through two at Miller Stadium

Two innings are complete. Both teams with two hits through the second inning.

The Warhawks did continue a rash of first inning defensive lapses with an error

Hawks and Blue Devils again this afternoon at the Mills

The weather will be great today. In the words of Chicago Cubs’ legend Ernie Banks, “Lets play two!”.

The UW-Whitewater baseball team will enter today’s doubleheader vs. UW-Stout (12-Noon start) on an 11-game winning streak. The only blemish on the Warhawks’ season was to Cortland State (New York) back on March 20th early in UWW’s annual spring trip to Florida. For the record, Cortland State is currently 21-6 and ranked 21st in the current ABCA National Top 25.

Riley Tincher will start in game-one for Whitewater. The big lefthander is 6 & 0 on the season and pitched 5.2 innings of game-one of Wednesday's doubleheader at Platteville. Brandon Loertscher starts for Stout

The Warhawks (16-1, 4-0 in WIAC) rolled to a doubleheader sweep over Stout Saturday. The 'Hawks won game one 21-6 and game two 15-3, both shortened due to the WIAC’s 10-run rule).

Today’s twin bill will be the third in three days for Whitewater. For the first time this season the Hawks will be forced to go deep into a starting pitching rotation.

Following today’s doubleheader the Warhawks will depart on its longest road trip of the WIAC schedule. Two games at Platteville Wednesday (4/14) followed by a pair of weekend twin bills in La Crosse next weekend.

Gametime temperature is 63 degrees with the winds 5 MPH out of the east (towards left field line.

Check back often later today as I’ll be blogging live all afternoon long from the Mills.

Rob Coe a cornerstone behind the plate for the Warhawks

Warhawk baseball coach John Vodenlich knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a catcher at the Division III level. Vodenlich was UW-Whitewater’s catcher during his playing days at Whitewater (1989-91) and was the first two-time All-American is school history.

Rob Coe is just the latest outstanding catcher for the Warhawks.

An All-WIAC selection last year, Coe took “over the reigns” for Billy Johnson who was a major component in UW-Whitewater’s third place finish in the 2008 Division III World Series.

Shortly after learning that UW-Whitewater would have to play doubleheaders Friday, Saturday and Sunday I thought of two things. No. 1 was how the Warhawks would utilize their pitching staff when playing six games in three days. The other aspect of the situation that I was curious about was how catcher Rob Coe would handle the situation behind the plate.

Coe admits it is a lot of baseball for a catcher in a three day period.

“You have to make sure you take care of yourself both on and off the field,” Coe said following Saturday’s doubleheader sweep over UW-Stout. “You got to go home, get a good night’s sleep and prepare yourself mentally for the following day’s games.”

The junior from Appleton is hitting .392 while playing in 16 of the Hawks 17 games so far this season.

Another guy that knows baseball is former UWW coach Jim Miller who watches plenty of baseball these days flipping burgers and brats on his grill located adjacent to the Warhawk dugout at James B. Miller Stadium.

“He (Coe) is one of the single biggest reasons the Warhawks had the success they had last year getting to the regional final,” Miller tells the Royal Purple.

With his leadership ability (a must for a successful catcher), just pencil Coe's name into the line-up for the vast majority of games again this season.