WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team scored early and held on late Saturday afternoon for a 7-2 triumph over Rutgers-Camden (N.J.) on its third day at the RussMatt Invitational at Chain of Lakes Park.

The Warhawks (6-1 overall) gave starting pitcher Heath Renz an early cushion, and the right-hander took it from there, allowing only one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six. Renz improved to 2-0 with the 89-pitch effort.

The Scarlet Raptors (7-5), who entered the contest on a four-game winning streak, scored a run and loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, but senior Austin Finn and sophomore Michael Kaska combined to pitch out of the jam.

Rutgers-Camden put on its first two runners in the top of the ninth, but senior Mike Nompleggi retired the final three hitters he faced to finish the victory.

Junior centerfielder Brett Krause provided the early run support, knocking in two with a two-out triple to left field and scoring on a throwing error on the relay throw.

UW-Whitewater added a fourth run in the second on a solo home run to deep right field by junior right fielder Will Helbing, and plated another in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by junior designated hitter Brent Feldner.

The Warhawks tallied two insurance runs in the sixth on run-scoring hits by Helbing and sophomore left fielder Matt Wary.

Krause finished 3-for-4 with one run scored and two runs batted in, and Helbing reached based three times and plated two runs. Feldner also collected two hits for UW-Whitewater, which finished with 12 hits as a team for the game.

The Warhawks have an off day Sunday before starting the second half of the Central Florida trip Monday against Southern Maine at 10:15 a.m. Central Time.