Joe Sagar
D3sports.com
EASTLAKE, Ohio - It took two days, but UW-Whitewater won its D-III World Series opener.
The Warhawks made Friday’s four-run first count in a 7-3 win over Trinity (Texas) on Saturday at Classic Auto Group Park.
“That first game is very important. Nobody likes to fight through the loser’s bracket,” UWW’s Andy Thies said. “So, being able to come out and make a statement early on and go into tomorrow with confidence is a big thing.”
The first four and a half innings were played Friday night until steady rain caused officials to postpone the rest of the game to Saturday afternoon, where the third-seeded Warhawks (45-6) began with a 6-0 lead. That strong start was key for UWW as it dropped its opening game in last year’s World Series only to battle back and finish as runner-up after a 10-5 setback to Misericordia in the title game.
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| Cade Hansen pitched the opening five innings of UW-Whitewater's 7-3 win before the game was suspended because of rain. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com | More photos from this game |
“It’s a lot easier to just play free and play your game when you have a big lead,” UWW’s Danny Hopper said. “We were confident we only needed a couple of runs to win that game just because of who we had on the mound. It was great to get that early lead.”
Junior righty Cade Hansen contained the sixth-seeded Tigers (41-9).
“Everything starts on the mound for us and Cade gave us a great start to things and we were able to finish it up today,” UWW head coach John Vodenlich said. “He started the game very clean. Really, that first inning set the tone for us and the bats were able to play. With how we saw him throwing in the first inning, we knew he was locked in. That helps the sticks.”
Hansen scattered five hits, struck out five and walked one in five innings.
“I’ve spent a lot of years in Division III now and, to me, that’s one of the better arms I’ve seen,” Trinity head coach Tim Scannell said. “I think what was most impressive was, not only did he have some velocity, but he had like a power sinker and he kept the ball down. Especially to our righthanded hitters, he seemed like a really difficult matchup. I liked our at-bats and I think we hit some balls at their fielders.”
- D3baseball.com World Series Scoreboard
- D-III World Series Record Book
- D3baseball.com World Series Program
The Warhawks wasted little time taking control Friday night in the bottom of the first. Aaron Holland drew a leadoff walk. After a strikeout, Adam Cootway singled to left. Thies walked to load the bases. Following another strikeout, Hopper flared a two-out single to shallow center that plated Holland and Cootway. Sam Paden followed with an RBI single to left. Darryl Jackson lofted a soft liner to center. Center fielder Kaleb Woodward charged hard and dove for the ball, but did not catch it cleanly, which allowed another run to come across.
“Getting a big lead always helps,” Hansen said. “I was just attacking batters and letting my defense work, that’s all I am really trying to do.”
Trinity got runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the fourth. However, Hansen struck out a batter and coaxed Brandon Nelson to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
The Warhawks added two more in the bottom half of the frame. Matt Scolan sliced a double to deep center. Cootway drew a walk. Both runners came home when Thies tripled down the line in right for a 6-0 edge.
Nelson absorbed Woodward’s line drive to his ribs with two outs in the top of the fifth. It put Tigers runners on first and second. However, Nelson recovered and got the next batter to ground out to second to end the threat. Then, the rain picked up, which led to a postponement.
Once the game resumed Saturday, Cootway made it a 7-0 contest in the bottom of the sixth with a deep solo homer.
Trinity got on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh off reliever Jack Hagen. Kai Tinker reached on a fielder’s choice. He went to third on Michael Lustina’s single to left. Cam Champness flared a single to right. It brought home Tinker. The Tigers tallied a second run when a throw to second on a steal attempt wasn’t handled cleanly and Lustina scampered home.
Trinity loaded the bases with two outs and Brady Malkow replaced Hagen on the mound. He coaxed the first batter he faced to ground out to end the inning with the Warhawks up, 7-2.
The Tigers rallied in the top of the eighth. Will Baker reached on an error and Brandon Nelson drew a walk. Tinker doubled to right center. Baker scored on the play, but Nelson was thrown out at the plate, which left it a 7-3 game.
Logan Eisenbarth came on to retire Trinity in order in the ninth to seal the win for the Warhawks, who play Denison, a 12-10 winner over Rowan, on Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
Trinity plays Rowan on Sunday at 10 a.m.
“I am proud of our guys just never giving up, I think we made things interesting there. With a few more timely hits, I think we could have flipped the script,” Scannell said. “We knew who we drew. We have immense respect for their kids, their program and how they play the game. But, we’re also really proud of who we are and what we’re all about. We came out on the short end of the stick and move into the loser’s bracket. Hopefully, we have great resolve, fight and toughness through it.”