The No. 1/3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team suffered its first conference loss but recovered for a victory Saturday afternoon to earn a split at UW-Stevens Point in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.

The Warhawks (22-4 overall, 9-1 WIAC) were edged 4-3 in the opener before posting a 6-1 victory in the second game of the day.

In the nightcap, the Warhawks tallied 14 hits, including three home runs, and took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the third inning, when sophomore designated hitter Kevin White tagged a two-run homer, his third of the season.

Sophomore Cal Aldridge led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to increase the UW-Whitewater lead to three. The team added three more in the top of the seventh  when junior centerfielder Daytona Bryden knocked a two-run homer, and junior first baseman Blake Fleischman tripled and scored from third on an error.

Junior pitcher Heath Renz allowed his lone run in the seventh inning, improving to 5-0 on the year with a strong eight-inning outing. The right-hander surrendered only three hits and two walks while striking out eight.

Senior Mike Nompleggi pitched around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to hold the lead.

In Game 1, the Pointers (14-12, 6-4) struck for four runs in the bottom of the sixth and hung on to their one-run lead.

Bryden, Fleischman and junior right fielder Brett Krause each knocked in a run and combined for five of UW-Whitewater's six hits.

Junior pitcher Austin Jones took the tough-luck loss for the Warhawks, scattering seven hits and three walks over 7 2/3 innings while striking out nine in dropping to 6-1. Nompleggi recorded the final out of the eighth inning.

UW-Whitewater closes its four-game series at UW-Stevens Point with a doubleheader Sunday starting at noon.