The No. 4 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team opened its home schedule Wednesday afternoon with a two-game split against St. Scholastica (Minn.) in a non-conference doubleheader at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
The Warhawks (10-2 overall) started the two-game set by extending their win streak to eight with a 10-2 triumph before falling against the Saints 10-8 in 11 innings in the nightcap.
In the opener, St. Scholastica (7-6) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but UW-Whitewater responded with an eight-run bottom half of the frame, totaling five hits and taking advantage of one Saints error.
After junior designated hitter Blake Fleischman scored from third on a balk, senior shortstop Jordan Kuczynski recorded a two-run single to right center, and sophomore first baseman Trent Borgardt increased the team's lead to four runs by knocking in two with a base hit through the left side.
Following a wild pitch that scored junior right fielder Will Helbing from third, sophomore left fielder Matt Wary tripled down the right field line to score another run, and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
Junior right-hander Austin Jones improved to 4-0 on the season after pitching six innings, scattering seven hits and recording seven strikeouts. Senior lefty Ankur Shah was credited with a save after tossing the final three frames. The two combined to strand nine St. Scholastica base runners in the effort.
Senior second baseman Steve Chamberlain finished 3-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI to lead the offense. Fleischman added two hits and two runs scored.
In Game 2, the Saints rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 8-8 and plated two more in the top of the 11th to take the contest.
St. Scholastica took the early lead with two runs in the third before the Warhawks plated four in the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer by sophomore right fielder Kevin White.
The Saints responded with three in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
UW-Whitewater responded quickly with three in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI groundout by sophomore third baseman Cal Aldridge and a two-run single up the middle by Kuczynski. Sophomore catcher Mike Aiello added an insurance run with a groundout in the eighth.
Junior righty Heath Renz started and worked five innings, striking out three. Sophomore right-hander Michael Kaska took the loss, dropping to 0-2 on the season despite striking out six in three innings.
Chamberlain and Borgardt each tallied two of the Warhawks' nine hits.
UW-Whitewater returns to action next Wednesday, April 5, at Ripon. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.