WHITEWATER – The No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team broke a first place tie in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sunday, sweeping UW-Platteville in a doubleheader at Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.
The Warhawks (25-4 overall, 13-3 WIAC) took sole possession atop the conference standings after defeating the Pioneers 7-5 in Game 1. UW-Whitewater took the nightcap by a 5-1 tally to increase its league lead to two games.
In the opener, the Warhawks plated six unanswered runs after UW-Platteville (20-12, 11-5) had taken a 3-1 lead through 2 1/2 innings of play.
Junior right-hander Curtis Morgan improved to 6-0 with the victory. Morgan tossed seven innings and allowed two earned runs while striking out five hitters. Sophomore righty Austin Finn picked up the save, his first of the year, finishing the final 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run.
Senior shortstop Mikole Pierce and senior second baseman Nick Kuhlmann totaled three hits apiece and combined for five runs batted in to lead UW-Whitewater.
The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Warhawks cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the second on an infield single by Kuhlmann.
UW-Whitewater took the lead for good in the bottom of the third with three runs in the frame. Pierce smoked a two-run triple to center to tie the game before senior left fielder Trey Cannon made it 4-3 with a groundout.
The Warhawks tacked on one run each in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to take a four-run advantage. Freshman designated hitter Jordan Kuczynski walked with the bases loaded in the fifth, Pierce knocked in a run with a groundout in the sixth and Kuhlmann plated another with a two-out double in the seventh.
UW-Platteville rallied for two runs in the eighth and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Finn posted a strikeout and induced a groundout to end the contest.
In Game 2, UW-Whitewater plated four runs in the second inning and hung on the rest of the way.
Senior left-handed pitcher Colin Grove tossed his third complete game of the season, allowing just six hits while striking out four to improve to 7-1.
Sophomore third baseman Steve Chamberlain registered the big hit during the four-run second, plating two with a base hit to left field. Senior catcher Mike Mierow knocked in a run earlier in the inning on a fielder's choice.
Senior first baseman Casey Power added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a run-scoring single to right.
The Warhawks and Pioneers resume their four-game series Monday at 12 p.m. with a second straight doubleheader.