It was number one, number ten, and number 300.  UW-Whitewater's 6-2 win over UW-Oshkosh in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday at Prucha Field at Miller Stadium in Whitewater gave the Warhawks their first win in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (in their first try), their tenth win of the season, and number 300 for head coach John Vodenlich in his ninth year at Whitewater.   The Titans won game two 3-2 in eleven innings.  UW-W is 10-5 overall and 1-1 in the WIAC while Oshkosh is 7-10 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
 
Oshkosh notched the first run of the doubleheader in the second inning of game one.  A sacrifice fly by Michael Swift plated Kyle Van Able to give the Titans an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Warhawks pulled even in the bottom of the fourth.  With one out, Jared Fon (Germantown) doubled to left field.  A ground out by the next batter moved Fon to third.  Matt Beyer (Janesville/Parker) followed with a single to score Fon and tie the game.
 
The Titans regained the lead in the top of the sixth when leadoff batter Derek Layton reached after getting hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out, and finally came around to score on a Brock Guetzke single.
 
UW-W came back to tie the game again in the bottom of the sixth and it was Fon, again, who scored the tying run.  Fon reached on a single to center, advanced to second on a fielder's choice and then scored on a Beyer single.
 
The Warhawks took their first lead of the game, albeit a slim one, at 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh.  This time the Warhawks scored on a Titan error.  Andrew Bauer (Hartland /Arrowhead) initially reached after being hit by a pitch.  He moved to second on a sacrifice hit and then scored on an error by the Titan catcher.
 
Insurance runs were what the Warhawks needed and that's exactly what they got in the bottom of the eighth.  Fon was again a part of the action as he led off the inning with single up the middle and then advanced to second on a passed ball.  Marty Herum (River Falls/River Falls) followed with a single that plated Fon and gave UW-W a 4-2 advantage.  Travis Wessels (Tomah/Tomah) entered as a pinch runner for Herum and came around to score on a Dylan Friend (Burlington/Burlington) triple to right center and the Warhawks saw their lead grow to 5-2.  Friend came in to score the final run of the game on a Mike Mierow (Brookfield/Central) bunt down the first base line.
 
Quintin Zander (Black Earth/Wisconsin Heights) came on in relief to pitch the top of the ninth and preserve the UW-W victory.  Jack Larsen (Menomonee Falls/Menomonee Falls) earned the win in game one pitching seven and two-thirds, giving up four hits, two runs, walking one and striking out five.
 
Game two saw UW-O take a 1-0 lead again, this time in the top of the first.  With the first two batters retired, the Warhawks walked the next two and gave up a single to center that allowed one run to score.
 
The Warhawks had a chance to tie things up in the bottom of the third with a runner in scoring position and two outs, but a stiff wind knocked down a well hit ball to left by Jared Fon (Germantown).
 
Several miscues in the top of the fifth put UW-W in a tough spot.  An error, a stolen base, a passed ball and a free pass put Titan runners on the corners with just one out.  The Warhawks escaped danger when Matthew Roberts (Manitowoc /Roncalli) got Michael Polcyn to hit into a 1-6-3 double play.
 
Looking to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth, the Warhawks got Mike Mierow (Brookfield/Central) to third after he singled, a sacrifice bunt, and a ground out, but they were unable to get him home to knot the score.
 
However, in the bottom of the sixth UW-W pulled even on a homerun by Fon to left field and later took the lead on a two out, slow roller to second by Matt Mierow that plated Herum.
 
In trouble in the eighth after a walk, a pop out and a 3-0 count, Michael Huckabay (Jefferson/Jefferson) came on in relief of Roberts.  Two consecutive singles plated Kyle Van Abel and the game was tied again, this time at two.  The Titans managed to load the bases later in the inning with two outs, but Huckabay got Mike Lacosto to ground out to third to end the inning.
 
Neither team scored in the ninth with the Warhawks owning the best chance with runners at the corners and two outs, but they were unable to score and the game went to extra innings.
 
With runners on the corners and two outs in the top of the eleventh, Schmitz, on in relief of Huckabay, struck out Polcyn but the ball got past the catcher and the Titans scored to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Another comeback was not in the cards for the Warhawks as they went down quietly in the bottom of the eleventh.
 
Troy Mrkvicka earned the win for the Titans.  Huckabay takes the loss for UW-W.
 
Roberts, the game two starter, had a solid outing throwing seven and a third while giving up just one hit and two runs.
 
The Warhawks and Titans will play again on Friday in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm.
 
For additional information, John Vodenlich, UW-W head coach