Wahawks at UW-Oshkosh for four key games this weekend

WIAC baseball teams have “rounded the post and are heading down the homestretch” towards the end of the regular season.

The Warhawks lead the WIAC at 13-3 and take a one-game lead over 12 & 4 UW-Stevens Point heading into WIAC weekend action. UW-Oshkosh is third in the conference standings at 9& 7 with UW-La Crosse at 11 & 9.

Whitewater is at Oshkosh for four games this weekend with the results having a lot to say about who will be advancing to the 2011 WIAC Postseason Tournament set to be played at the No.1 seed’s home field on May 13th and May 14th.

UW-Oshkosh lost twice at second place UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday and currently in a battle with UW-La Crosse for the third and final spot in next month’s conference postseason tournament.

The Warhawks swept two from UW-Platteville Wednesday at Jim Miller Stadium. After winning the opener 12-2 in a seven inning run-rule contest UWW needed dramatic rallies in 9th and 10th innings to come away with a 7-6 victory in the nightcap.

This weekend’s pair of doubleheaders at Twill start at noon on both days, and will showcase the top two pitching staffs in the league.

UW-Oshkosh has a team earned run average of 2.51 that includes Luke Westphal’s conference-best mark of 1.08. Jeremy Rubens follows in second at 1.45 and Andrew Murphy ranks third at 2.39. The Warhawks’ team ERA of 3.97 is led by Riley Tincher’s 3.16 figure. Jeff Donovan leads WIAC pitchers with a 7 & 0 season record.

UW-Whitewater also has power using the bats, listing 11th nationally with nine runs per game. Daniel Putnam tops the league in both batting average (.527) and stolen bases (23). The .527 average ranks second in NCAA Division III batting averages. Jeff Donovan is the conference’s #2 hitter with a .431 average, while Rob Coe has 38 RBI to pace the WIAC.

The first-place Warhawks bring an eight-game winning streak into the weekend matchup on ths shores of Lake Winnebago.

Nolan Fadness fuels the Titan offense with his .355 batting average, 34 runs and 20 stolen bases. The clutch producer has been Tyler Kamps, who owns 12 doubles and 28 RBI. Newcomer Alex Mullendore has UWO’s only two home runs this season.