Playing solid defense a huge key in challenging for another WIAC title

What is the key to playing winning baseball in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference? According to Warhawk head coach John Vodenlich the answer is simple.

“Playing solid defense – particularly when Tincher and Donovan are on the mound,” Vodenlich tells Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com. “All you have to do is look at our four losses this year. Three of those losses occurred when we committed three errors in the loss.”

Whitewater enters the weekend with a WIAC-best .967 fielding average with a conference-low 23 errors through 19 games.

The Warhawks are coming off another solid two wins with Riley Tincher and Jeff Donovan on the hill. Tincher (5-1) went eight innings in the Hawks 5-1 win over Platteville in game-one on Wednesday. The senior from Oregon High School now leads the WIAC with a 1.29 ERA.

Meanwhile, Jeff Donovan leads the conference with a 6 & 0 mark and enters this weekend’s four-game series at UW-Stout coming off an outstanding performance in the Hawks 8-2, game-two win over the Pioneers. The senior from Wauwatosa East High School limited the Pioneers to one run on four hits in six innings. Donovan’s ERA is a solid 2.63.

Prior to the season Coach Vodenlich talked about the key to play fundamentally solid baseball.

“Our focus is pitching and defense – it is as simple as that,” the veteran head coach makes clear. Both Tincher and Donovan did what they needed to do on the mound today (Wednesday) and we fielded the ball behind them. We came away with a key two-game sweep and that is what it is all about.”