I thought it was interesting how both St. Scholastica and the Warhawks approached Tuesday afternoon’s doubleheader between two team’s ranked in the Top-10.
The two teams split the twinbill with Whitewater winning the opener 3-1. The Saints took the nightcap 3-1. Both games were seven inning affairs as agreed on by both teams.
“The were two good games,” Hawk head coach John Vodenlich tells Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com. “I don’t think I’ve ever been part of two games that went by that quickly. When a game goes by in record type time you know the pitchers are doing what they are suppose too by throwing strikes. It was really good pitching today.”
In game-one, St. Scholastica chose to go with its pitching staff’s No. 1 pitcher. Matt Lewis entered the game with a 7 & 0 season record. UWW head coach John Vodenlich elected to go with Jack Larsen. The junior from Menomonee Falls was making just his second start of the season.
Larsen went the first 3.2 innings giving up just 1 run and four hits to pick up his first win of the season while out-dueling CSS’ ace. Kyle Lee picked up the save giving up no runs and just 1 hit the final 3.1 innings.
Game two was another pitcher’s duel with the Hawks going with Justin Mortensen. The freshman from Hartland-Arrowhead High School gave up just three hits over five innings in his second start of the year.
Why play two non-conference games late in the season vs. a nationally ranked team. For Coach Vodenlich the answer was simple.
“It was to improve our strength of schedule (SOS),” Voldenlich said. The SOS is used by the NCAA Division III postseason tournament committee to determine what teams will make the 2011 Division III Tournament by way of at large bids. “Unfortunately who the NCAA sets it up is that playing and losing to a team with a high, in-region win loss percentage is almost better than beating in-region teams with a lesser win-loss percentages. That is the game we are forced to play.”
The split give the Warhawks a 28 & 6 record heading into Friday and Saturday’s doubleheaders vs. UW-La Crosse on Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium.
UWW trails UW-Stevens Point by one game in the conference standings entering the final weekend of WIAC play.
UW-W will host doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday versus UW-La Crosse on Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 1:00 and Saturday the games start at 12:00.
On Saturday, UW-Whitewater will formally dedicate the recently renovated baseball field in honor of former coach Jim Miller in a between games ceremony Saturday. A tailgate will be hosted in the 'Hawks Nest along the first base line.
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