The No. 20 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team hit the halfway point of its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule Friday afternoon, defeating Finlandia (Mich.) in a pair of games at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
The Warhawks (18-6 overall, 11-1 WIAC) recorded a 22-0 triumph in the first game before closing out the sweep with a 10-0 victory in the nightcap. Both contests were ended early due to run rule.
In the opener, seniors Michael Kaska and Jim Perkins combined for a two-hit shutout in the seven-inning contest. Kaska (4-2) struck out five over five innings, while Perkins struck out four in two frames.
UW-Whitewater mashed 18 hits and scored six runs in the first inning and 10 in the sixth. Freshman left fielder Taylor White tallied two hits, including one double and one home run, and plated four runs. Sophomore designated hitter Connor Moroder posted two hits, one run scored and three runs batted in. Senior third baseman Cal Aldridge collected two hits, three runs scored and two RBI.
In the second game, the Warhawks shut out the Lions (4-22, 1-13) for the second time as sophomores Matt O'Sullivan, Evan Sigmund and junior Keith Kutzler surrendered a combined two hits and one walk over eight innings. O'Sullivan (4-2) registered 10 strikeouts over five frames, Sigmund struck out three in two and Kutzler recorded a strikeout in the eighth.
Aldridge finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, and senior second baseman Nick Schrader collected two hits and three runs scored. Junior right fielder Alex Doud contributed three hits and two runs batted in, and junior centerfielder Noah Jensen tripled and knocked in two runs.
UW-Whitewater led 6-0 heading to the eighth inning, when it scored four runs to end the game via run rule.
The Warhawks wrap up their four-game series against Finlandia with a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. at Miller Stadium.