Photo courtesy of Chico La Barbera.
The No. 10 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team started an eight-game road swing Sunday with two wins at UW-Eau Claire in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Bollinger Fields.
The Warhawks (14-5 overall, 6-2 WIAC) claimed both contests by run rule after seven innings, taking the first game 16-1 and the nightcap by a 13-0 score.
In the opener, UW-Whitewater tallied 10 hits and took advantage of three Blugold errors.
Third baseman Matt Korman registered three hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in. Designated hitter Sam Paden tallied two hits, one walk, one run scored and three RBIs, while second baseman Sam Vomhof recorded two hits, one walk, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Centerfielder Zach Campbell posted two hits and three runs scored. Catcher Ryan Norton and shortstop Bennett Frazer each plated two runs.
Pitcher Westin Muir struck out a season-high 11 batters in five innings to improve to 4-1 on the year. Paden tossed a pair of scoreless frames in relief.
The Warhawks scored six runs in the top of the second inning to break the game open. Frazer plated the first run on a fielder's choice, and Vomhof and first baseman Nick Paget drew back-to-back, bases-loaded walks to make it 3-0. After Frazer scored on a passed ball, Korman knocked in two runs on a base hit through the left side.
UW-W scored two more in the third on a single by Frazer and a bunt by Paden. Norton made it 9-0 in the fourth on a fly ball to left.
After UW-Eau Claire (6-12, 1-7) put its first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth, UW-Whitewater responded with six more in the top of the fifth. Vomhof hit an RBI double to left center, Korman hit a sacrifice fly to center and Norton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Right fielder Jacob DeMeyer scored on a passed ball before Paden delivered a two-run single through the left side to make it 15-1.
Left fielder Matt Scolan accounted for the final margin in the top of the seventh with an RBI groundout to first.
In Game 2, UW-W collected 13 more hits while pitchers Kade Lancour and Joey Pettit combined for a four-hit shutout. Lancour (4-0) struck out six over five innings of work and Pettit followed with five strikeouts over two frames.
Paden drove in eight runs thanks to a three-run homer in the top of the second inning, a grand slam in the top of the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth. Vomhof totaled four hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while DeMeyer finished with two hits, one walk and two RBIs. Paget added two hits, one walk and one run scored. Korman drove in one run.
The Warhawks conclude their four-game set at UW-Eau Claire with a doubleheader Monday starting at 12 p.m. at Bollinger Fields.