Violent emotion changes late in Friday night's 5-4 loss to BV

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

Hawks drop heartbreaker in the bottom of 9th

It has been said before and it will be said again – a game is never over till its over.

Buena Vista University appeared on the way to a first round win by forging out to a 4-2 lead heading into the UW-Whitewater ninth inning. In Friday’s opening round NCAA Division III

The Hawks would not say die.

UWW loaded the bases with nobody out. Brent Young grounded into a double play that scored Drew Eichstaedt to pull the Warhawks within one at 4-3. That set up Jared Fon’s dramatic two-out RBI single to center field to score Rob Coe with the game-tying score to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.

The Whitewater momentum would not last long.

Buena Vista left fielder Michael Hoffman broke UW-Whitewater hearts by lining a two-out single to center to score Tyler Case and give the Beavers a 5-4, bottom of the ninth inning victory.

(In the adjacent photo – UWW centerfielder walks dejectedly off the field Friday night while Buena Vista players celebrate in the background follow the Beavers’ 5-4, bottom of the 9th victory in the first round of the NCAA Division III World Series at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton – photo courtesy of Jeff Siesser, Daily Jefferson County Union)

The Beavers excelled at playing “small-ball” by executing numerous bunt situations flawlessly. BVU also put its leadoff batter on base in six of the nine innings.

Whitewater left 12 runners on base including the bases loaded twice.

Final Line Score
Buena Vista: 5 runs, 9 hits, 2 errors, 9 LOB
UW-Whitwater: 4 runs, 13 hits, 2 errors, 13 LOB

Much more on today’s game will be coming up this evening here on Voiceseyeonbaseball.blogspot.com including quotes from the postgame press conference.

I’ll be talking to you later tonight here on the blog.

- Voice

Hawks lose opener at D III World Series

Hawks lose 5-4 to Buena Vista in the bottom of the ninth inning.e

Much more to come

Voic

Game 2: Marietta (OH) 6, Salisbury (NJ) 0 (Final)

D3baseball.com Pitcher of the Year Brian Gasser threw six shutout innings and Mark Williams and Kyle Lindquist finished it up as No. 1 ranked Marietta improved to 43-3.

The game was a 0-0 pitcher's duel throught the first five innings.

Marietta put three runs on the scoreboard in the sixth inning followed by two in the seventh and three more in the Pioneer eighth inning.

With the win, Gasser is now 14-0 on the season.

Chris Greiner took the loss for Salisbury and is now 10-4 in 2011

CLICK HERE FOR MARIETTA Vs SALISBURY BOXSCORE

Coming up next: Buena Vista vs UW-Whitewater (First pitch is set for 5:{25 p.m.)

Voice's blog: Friday afternoon at the DIII World Series

• A steady stream of UW-Whitewater baseball fans have been arriving at Fox Valley Stadium for the past 45 minutes.

• The early arrivers didn’t wait for the official Warhawk World Series tailgate to get underway. The non-official tailgates have been going on since 1:45! (see adjacent photo)

• The UW-Whitewater tailgate tent has been erected on the right field line area of the FVS parking lot. The tailgate, just getting underway, is sponsored by the UW-Whitewater Alumni Association and the athletic department. If you are a Warhawk fan, make sure you stop by the tailgate which runs right up to game-time a 4:30 p.m.

• No. 1 ranked Marietta (OH) and Salisbury (MD) are in an old fashioned pitcher’s duel. Each team with just one hit through 4 innings. The Score: Salisbury 0, Marietta 0. Division III Player of the Year. Brian Gasser is on the mound for Marietta. The big righthander’s statistics are awesome with a 13 & 0 record and 1.09 ERA entering today’s game.

• The UW-Whitewater coaching staff was in the stands for much of this morning’s first game. The team has been spending the last couple of hours at nearby baseball fields for NCAA sponsored batting practice.

• My sources are telling me that Jeff Donovan will get today’s starting pitching assignment. At this point that information is not official. Donovan 10 & 0 in 2011.

• I’ve been blogging a great deal about the seniors on this year’s Warhawk baseball team. Last weekend it was the underclassmen down in the batting order. If Jared Fon, Matt Beyer, Dylan Friend and Travis Wessels can even come close to having a weekend, like last weekend, the Hawks’ offense will be in good shape.

• Jared Fon, just a freshman, became the Warhawks’ everyday 3rd baseman earlier this month. His defensive play has been anything but freshman-like.

• The UWW offense has been “off and on” over the past couple of weeks. A big key this weekend will be the ability of Danny Putnam to get on base in the lead-off position, and Andrew Eichstaedt to get “Putty” into scoring position for the “big bats” in the lineup.

• With the Buena Vista Beavers being in its first NCAA Division III World Series – for UWW to get off to a quick lead would definitely advantageous.

• Despite being in a national championship baseball tournament for the first time since 1968 (NAIA) BV insists there is no pressure on the upstarts from the IIAC -There are a lot of teams there that are predicted to win it. We don't have that on our shoulders. We have nothing to lose so I think that makes us a little bit dangerous. (Buena Vista coach Steve Eddie)

• Hawks and Beavers coming up. You can listen to the game on KOOL 106.5 with Gary Douglas and Dick Haven.

CLICK HERE for audio stream of today’s game

I'll be blogging after today's Warhawk game

Voice -

Game One: Chapman 9, Kean 4 (Final)

Chapman University (CA) broke a tight 3-2 game open by scoring seven runs in the final four innings to defeat Kean University (NJ) 9-4 in first round action at the 2011 NCAA Division III World Series at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton.

Kean 42-10) entered the game ranked No. 3 in the nation by d3baseball.com. Chapman is now 34-11 and ranked No. 9 in the nation.

CLICK HERE FOR CHAPMAN vs, KEAN BOX SCORE

Voice’s Eye on D III World Series Weekend from Appleton

• What an opening day for the D III World Series. Filtered sunshine with temperatures in the lower 60’s – OUTSTANDING!

• Game one has just finished – final score: Chapman 9, Kean 4. Marrietta and Salisbury first pitch is now scheduled for 1:55 p.m.

• I was planning on getting to Fox Cities Stadium in time for the 10 a.m. start of the World Series opener between Kean (NJ) and Chapman (CA). Since I am now semi-retired I slept-in and arrived at 11 a.m.

• I ran into UW-Stevens Point coach Pat Bloom in the stands during the Kean-Chapman game. He wished the Hawks good luck but said he and the team would rather be between the lines here in Appleton this weekend.

• Bloom also told me that UWSP center fielder/pitcher Cody Koback is expected to be drafted in one of the top 10 rounds in next months MLB Draft.

• Taking a look into the parking lot off the 1st base side of Fox Cities Stadium and the UW-Whitewater tailgate tent has just started going up under the direction of “Mills” and Bob Lanza.

• The tailgate will run from 2:30 to 4:30 – make sure you wear your “purple” and I’ll see you at the U-Dub-Dub tailgate.

I’LL BE CHECKING BACK ON THE BLOG AT 3 P.M.

GO WARHAWKS!!

- Voice