Warhawks 8, Platteville 2 (Game 2 Final)

A fast start and solid pitching was the receipe for UW-Whitewater’s game-two win over UW-Platteville to sweep Wednesday’s doubleheader on Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

The Hawks scored six in the bottom of the first inning and rode the strong starting pitching of Jeff Donovan to an 8-2 win to finish the sweep of the Pioneers on a weather perfect day on the north side of the UW-Whitewater campus.

The Hawks’ first inning started with Danny Putnam’s lead-off double. Rob Coe double scored Putnam. Centerfielder Dylan Friend knocked Coe in with a single through the right side. Add in a walk and a passed ball, and leftfielder Logan Peot’s two-run single. Second baseman David Cladis got his third RBI of the day with a single to bring in Peot, who had advanced to scoring position on a Pioneer error to score Whitewater's sixth run of the inning.

Putnam, Friend, Cladis and first baseman Sam Keller each had two hits for the Hawks, with Putnam and Friend also scoring twice. Hopson again led Pioneer batters with a 2x5 game. The Pioneers, 5-16 overall and 3-7 in the WIAC, used six pitchers in the game.

Jeff Donovan (see adjacent photo) limited the Pioneers to one run on four hits in six innings, issuing two walks and striking out seven to raise his record to 6 & 0 on the season. Matthew Roberts, Eric Schmitz, and Rob Coe each tossed an inning of relief.

The Warhawks, 8-2 in the WIAC, have a pair of weekend doubleheaders at UW-Stout April 16-17. Both twinbills will start at 12-Noon in Menomonie.

The next home doubleheader is Thursday, April 21 at 1:00, with Concordia College (IL) visiting Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium on the north end of the UW-W campus.