Seniors played key role in the Hawks 8-3 win over Western New England College

The one thing I have discovered over my many years of blogging here on voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com and over on warhawkfootball.com is the importance of senior leadership.

The senior leadership has been outstanding on this 2011 Warhawk team. Dan Putnam, Rob Coe, Riley Tincher and Jeff Donovan have played plenty of “championship caliber” baseball wearing a Warhawk baseball uniform. That leadership has stood out as brightly as Kim Kardashian’s $2 million engagement ring leading up to and during Saturday’s 8-3 elimination bracket victory over Western New England College (MA).

Less than 24 hours after suffering an emotional, bottom of the ninth inning loss to Buena Vista (IA) in 1st round NCAA Division III World Series action, the Hawks arrived back at Fox Cities Stadium Saturday morning relaxed and looking forward to exorcizing the “demons” from the previous day.

Prior to the game, as the Hawks were standing in front of the dugout waiting for the NCAA to send them out for pregame infield. I look down from the press box and there is Rob Coe and Jeff Donovan dancing to the music out of the Fox Cities Stadium public address system.

“It’s our senior year and we didn’t want to go into the game too tight,” Coe said following the game. “Jeff and I have had fun all year. It wasn’t our first dance. You gotta do what you’ve been doing all year because we still have a chance to win this thing (D III title)."

For Donovan, it is making sure everything is left out on the field win or lose this weekend.

“We went into the game realizing how great a season we’ve had and it could end today (Saturday), Donovan tells voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com. “We’ve talked about from here on out, everyone’s going to continue to lay it on the line. You are going to see some great baseball from us.”

Now back to the senior leadership aspect to this story. The seniors took the challenge of elimination bracket baseball from the “get-go” vs. WNEC.

Senior Dan Putnam opened the bottom of the first inning with a walk. Senior Rob Coe hit a grounder through the left side to put runners on the corners, and senior Jeff Donovan drilled a triple to the wall in right center for a 2-0 lead. One pitch later Donovan came home on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

How’s that for the UWW seniors leading the way?

The seniors were back at it again in the sixth. Coe walked, and Donovan hit his school record twenty-second double of the season to plate Coe. Kevin Jeffries came on to replace WNEC starter Zach Cloft, and Warhawk third baseman Jared Fon greeted him with a double to score Donovan and build the Whitewater lead to 5-2.

It was Putnam again in the seventh, hitting a sharp single back up the box and taking second on a ball that got tangled in the catcher's legs. Andrew Eichstaedt walked. Putnam then took off for third and the catcher's attempt to throw him out sailed into left field. Putnam scored and Eichstaedt moved to second. Coe knocked in Eichstaedt with a single. Coe moved to second on a ground out, and scored on Brent Young's single to increase Whitewater's lead to 8-2.

You’re final senior scorecard reads: Donovan and Coe with two hits. Donovan's were both extra base hits, and he drove in three and scored twice. Coe scored three times, and Putnam scored twice and was on base twice.

Another of the UWW seniors is expected to get his opportunity in Sunday’s elimination bracket game vs. Chapman (CA). Riley Tincher will likely be on the mound for the Warhawks for the 12-noon start at Fox Cities Stadium.

CLICK HERE for 5/28 Warhawk postgame press conference