The range of emotions for UW-Whitewater players, coaches and fans changed dramatically in just a few short minutes Friday evening.
Down 4-2 heading into the top of the ninth inning, it appeared that the Warhawk baseball team was just minutes away from a very frustrating loss to upstart Buena Vista (Iowa) in first round action at the NCAA Division III World Series Friday evening in Appleton.
The frustration suddenly turned to incredible elation as the Hawks staged a scintillating come-from-behind rally in its last at bat. The Hawks scored two runs highlighted by Jared Fon’s dramatic two-out single driving in Rob Coe to tie the game at 4-all.
(In the adjacent photo - UWW pitcher Jeff Donovan explodes with emotion following Jared Fons' dramatic RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to keep his team alive at 2-2 heading into bottom on ninth - photo courtesy of Jeff Seisser, Daily Jefferson County Union)
The come-back meant that the Hawks needed just three BV outs to send the game into extra-innings.
It didn’t happen.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Tyler Case walked and Blum singled to put men at first and second. Brock Yossi hit a long foul down the first base line that Warhawk first baseman Brent Young caught going away and up against the stands. Case tagged and went to third on the play.
The Hawks brought in senior lefthander Riley Tincher, in relief of Eric Schmitz, to face BV first baseman Michael Hoffman with two outs and just one out from heading to extra innings. It was not going to happen as Hoffman lined a single up the middle scoring Case with the dramatic winning run and send the mood of Warhawk nation into a tailspin.
While the magical tournament run for Buena Vista continues in a Saturday winners bracket game vs. Keystone (PA), the Hawks now must play Western New England (MA), a 2-1 loser to Keystone, in an elimination bracket game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
CLICK HERE for UWW/BV Box Score
CLICK HERE for 5/27 UWW postgame press conference
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