Rechlitz shines at the hot corner

One of the primary reasons the UW-Whitewater baseball team has been able to put together a 31 & 4 record has been its offensive consistency throughout the batting order.

Batting No. 9 is third baseman Nick Rechlitz. The senior from Milwaukee Marquette High School has a stout .368 batting average.

At the bottom of the batting order Nick views his roll as being a facilitator for the top of the order.

“I see my job as just trying to get on base for the guys at the top of the order to drive me in,” Rechlitz told Voices Eye on Baseball following Sunday’s doubleheader sweep in Superior.

Rechlitz has been outstanding at third base this season. He has spent his career playing a number of positions.

“I’ll admit it has been an adjustment,” Rechlitz said. “I’ve kind of moved around on the infield. I started as a shortstop and played second base. Third base is all about reacting and we’ve worked on it a lot this season. Making plays out there is what I’m trying to do.

As far as “making plays” is concerned, Rechlitz has committed just three errors this season.

Rechlitz may get his aggressive play on the field from another sport. Nick was a four year letter winner in wrestling in highs school.

Following Saturday’s clinching the WIAC baseball championship Nick echoed the feeling of everybody on the squad – there is plenty of baseball to be played and a number of goals still to attain,

Leitner and Donovan outstanding on the mound in Sunday's DH sweep

The UW-Whitewater pitching staff is much more than just Riley Tincher and Jason Hooper. The two veteran pitchers have dominated the headlines for much of the season. Sunday’s starting combo of Aaron Leitner and Jeff Donovan continued to show there own dominance.

Leitner (see adacent photo) won game-one vs. UW-Superior. The sophomore transfer from Lawrence University scattered eight hits, walked three and struck out eight in seven innings of work. Eric Schmitz went the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Leitner is now 5 & 1 on the season.

The former Player of the Year in the Midwest Conference has been a major cog on the UW-W pitching staff. Leitner’s only loss occurred on March 20th in Winterhaven, Florida vs. Cortland State, New York.

The key to Aaron’s success has been keeping the ball down, getting ahead in the count and throwing strikes.

Leitner says pitching is much more complex in the WIAC.

“In the Midwest Conference most teams would have three or four really good hitters in a lineup,” Leitner tells Voices Eye on Baseball. “In this conference you face really good hitters from one to nine.”

The Warhawks slammed three home runs in the game. Jeff Donvan hit his 11th of the season. The red-hot Matt Beyer slammed his seventh and Rob Coe his third of the season,

In game two, Jeff Donovan did not allow a hit until there was two out in the fifth inning.
Superior designated hitter Shaun Marshall broke up the no hit bid by blasting a two-run home run. Donovan went seven and two thirds innings to improve his record to 3-0. The lanky righthander allowed five hits, walked six and struck out three. Ben Versnik closed out the game, allowing just one hit to record his seventh save of the season..

“It’s great to be part of it, we did it as a team,” Donovan said following Sunday’s WIAC clinching sweep of Superior. “I was honored to have the opportunity to get the ball (pitch) in a situation like that.”

Whitewater will wind up the WIAC portion of the schedule Monday by playing the doubleheader postponed on Saturday.

Hawks claim outright WIAC title

The UW-Whitewater baseball team sets its goals prior to each season. One of those goals was accomplished Sunday afternoon as the Warhawks have clinched its 9th WIAC regular season championship in the past 11 years.

The Hawks cliched no less than a share of the title with its 11-3 win in game-one of Sunday's doubleheader at Superior.

Whitewater clinched the outright title with a 10-2 win in game-two of the twin bill. Second-place Stevens Point split its doublehheader against La Crosse - winning the first game 10-9. Point lost game-two 15-5 in eight innings.

UW-Whitewater head coach John Vodenlich told Voice's Eye on Baseball that winning the conference championship is just one of several goals for the 31 & 4 Warhawks.

"We want this every year, there's no doubt about it," Vodenlich said following Sunday's clinching of the WIAC championship. "I would be lying if I told you our minds are anything but on the upcoming NCAA Division III Regional that will be played in Whitewater. Not to say the WIAC postseason tournament is not important.

Whitewater will host the 2010 WIAC Postseason Tournament beginning on March 14th. The NCAA Division III Midwest Regional will take place the following week.

Much more will be coming up later this evening, but its time to head out to dinner. In the words of Homer Simpson - Ummm Food.

Hawks Clinch Title

The Warhawks have clinched at least a share of the 2010 WIAC regular season title. The Hawks defeated UW-Superior this afternoon 11-3 in game one of a doubleheader. UW-Stevens Point averted elimination from the title race with a 10-9 victory over UW-La Crosse in the first game of a twinbill in Stevens Point.

The magic number is now one for the Hawks to clinch the title outright.

The Hawks scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back in picking up win No. 30 of the season.

Aaron Leitner pitched seven innings to pick up the win.

Mattt Beyer, Jeff Donovan and Rob Coe each hit home runs for Whitewater.

Much more including game quotes and more will be coming up following today's game-two.

Hawks one win away from 9th WIAC title in last 11 years

The Warhawks "magic number" to clich it's 9th WIAC regular season title in the last 11 years. Second place UW-Stevens Point split its doubleheader with UW-La Crosse Saturday. With the split, the best WIAC record the Pointer can achieve is 18 & 6. Whitewater enters the first day of its four game weekend series at Superior with a 17 & 3 mark. One victory will get the Hawks to the 18 win plateau and earn no worse than "a piece" of the 2010 WIAC title. Two wins Sunday gives the Hawks the undisputed championship.

Sunday's weather forecast for the Twin Ports: Partly cloudy and windy. Temperatures steady or falling to near 51F. Winds SW at 20 to 25 mph.

Voices Eye on Baseball Blog will update the score every three innings today from Superior and keep an eye on UW-Stevens Point's doubleheader with UW-La Crosse.

UWW at UWSP postponed to Sunday and Monday

The UW-Whitewater and UW-Superior baseball doubleheader scheduled for Saturday at 12:00pm in Superior has been postponed until Monday at 12:00pm. Sunday's 12-Noon doubleheader now will be the first of the two twinbills.

The weather forecast calls for showers both Sunday and Monday. The forecast high is 57 Sunday and 52 Monday.

What began as a business weekend for Voices Eye on Baseball has turned into a mini-vacation!

UW-Superior much improved

UW-Superior is no pushover this year. The Yellowjacks are in the midst of it’s best season in over a decade. Superior enters this weekend’s four-game series vs. UW-Whitewater in third place in the WIAC with an 8 & 8 record. The Yellowjackets are 18 & 16 overall.

Superior has improved its record in each of the past four seasons. From 2004 through 2007 UW-Superior’s in-conference record was a paltry 4 & 92.

The Yellowjackets are improved offensively and on the mound this year.

T.J. Wink is unbeaten on the mound at 6-0, with a 2.82 ERA which is ranked second in the conference. Brett Olson leads UW-S with a .426 batting average.

While the Warhawks are looking to wrap up the WIAC Regular Season Title this weekend, Superior is battling for the third and final berth in next week’s WIAC Postseason Tournament.

Mostly cloudy skies with a temperature in the mid-50s and very windy for today’s game less than a mile from Lake Superior.

At this point I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to blog during today’s doubleheader.
At the least I’ll be giving you every three inning updates with a full game story following each game.