Lambert and Lee provide quality day-two starting pitching performances at Stout

To be successful in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference you better have more than a two-starter pitching staff. To be able to challenge for a conference championship, being able to have quality starts in the Sunday games of a weekend series is crucial.

The UW-Whitewater baseball team received quality starts from Justin Lambert (pictured on left) and Kyle Lee (pictured on right) Monday afternoon to sweep the day-two portion of the four-game series at UW-Stout and leave Menomonie with the conference lead.

Riley Tincher and Jeff Donovan are unequivocally the number one and two pitchers starting rotation. The development of the number three and four slots will be a key to the Warhawks run at an eighth WIAC title in the last nine years.

Lambert came out in Monday’s first game and produced a solid starting performance in UWW’s 11-5 win. The sophomore from Mount Horeb pitched six solid innings giving up just one run on six hits while striking out two to improve his season record to 3 & 1.

Lambert understands the importance of being successful in his starting role.

“I spent spring training in Florida learning to keep my pitches down in the strike zone, Lambert tells Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com. “Early on I was keeping a lot of pitches up and that was leading to big innings against me. The key is for me to be able to throw my pitch to my spot with confidence. That is what you need to do to be successful at this level.”

Kyle Lee was equally as impressive in his start in game-two. The junior from Beaver Dam went the first five innings, scattering seven hits and striking out three in the Warhawks 9-5 win. Lee, who has spent much of his career pitching out of the bullpen, picked up his 3rd win against just one loss.

The Warhawks have the bye this week in the WIAC but will play a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday hosting Edgewood College beginning at 2 p.m. on Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

On Thursday the Hawks will host nationally ranked Division II power Concordia (Chicago) at 1 p.m. at the Mills.