June 3, 2024

NCAA DIII CWS: Wisconsin Whitewater wins to force a decisive semifinal with Salve Regina

Batting

UW-Whitewater
2B: Eli Frank
3B: Adam Cootway
HR: none
Salve Regina
2B: Evan O'Rourke
3B: none
HR: Matt D'Amato
full stats

EASTLAKE, Ohio (Monday, June 3, 2024) - The University of Wisconsin Whitewater baseball team, who sent the Cinderella-story Birmingham Southern College team home after a walk-off home run from Sam Paden (Libertyville, Ill.) yesterday, handed Salve Regina University its first loss of the NCAA Division III College World Series, 7-4, on Monday afternoon at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, Ohio. The Warhawks and Seahawks will meet again tonight (8:45 p.m.) in a decisive semifnal game to determine the Bracket B winner. The Bracket A semifinal between Misericordia University and the defending champion University of Lynchburg began at 5:45 p.m. The winners of each bracket advance to the best-of-three championship series which starts on Wednesday at Classic Park.

Salve Regina took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third moments after centerfielder Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.). the NCAA Division III Baseball Elite 90 winner, made the ultimate highlight catch to rob a home run from leftfielder Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill.) to end the top of the third.

HIGHLIGHT ON X

In the Salve Regina third, senior shortstop Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.), who had the only runs batted in during Saturday's 2-0 win over the Warhawks when Seahawk All-American Sean Mulligan (Verona, N.J.) pitched his third complete-game shutout of his sophomore season, singled to left field with one out. After two were out, All-Region leftfielder Evan O'Rourke (Arlington, Mass.) laced a double down the left field line that brought Breen home with the first run.

Today's Seahawk starter Joe DeRienzo (Trumbull, Conn.) kept the Warhawks scoreless for 12 successive innings facing Salve hurlers (after Mulligan's nine from Saturday) before walking the leadoff batter in the fourth and allowing a single up the middle to third baseman Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill.). DeRienzo loaded the bases with one out with another walk. Paden tied the score with a sacrifice fly to center. DeRienzo faced another bases loaded situation after a stolen base and a walk, but shortstop Bennett Frazer's (Oconto, Wis.) line drive was snared by Salve Regina captain and third baseman Wil McCarthy (Pembroke, Mass.).

Salve Regina regained the lead when graduate student and All-American outfielder Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) led off with a walk in the Seahawk fourth. Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice and D'Amato made it all the way to third on an infield throwing error. D'Amato crossed the plate while the Warhawks turned in a double play.

Wisconsin Whitewater scored three runs in the fifth as its top of the order led off against reliever Luis Ortiz (East Boston, Mass.), who had been the Super Regional hero with 3.1 innings of zeroes after Salisbury University had tied the score at 12-apiece. Back-to-back singles by Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill.) and Scolan were followed by Eli Frank (Bayport, Wis.) getting hit by a pitch. Captain and reliever Tommy DelVecchio (Westfield, N.J.) served a 1-0 pitch to designated hitter Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis.) who cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line and for the first time in last three games the Seahawks trailed.

Holland walked to leadoff the Warhawk sixth frame and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt before making it a three-run lead (5-2) when Frank singled up the middle.

Salve Regina (40-9) closed to one run when D'Amato hit a two-run homer to right field, scoring Christian Homa (Fairfield, Conn.), who had singled up the middle with one out. Those were the last runs for Salve Regina while Wisconsin Whitewater tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth. Frank had a one-out double to left center and Cootway drove him in with a single to left field. A Seahawk error put Warhawks on first and second with Kyle Carozza (Fairfield, Conn.) relieving DelVecchio. Carozza got a fly out to O'Rourke in left before Paden singled to center for a 7-4 lead.

Junior Nick Callano (Ocean, N.J.) pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Seahawks while pinch hitters Tyler Petrosino (Beverly, Mass.) and Shane Williams () both had hard-hit shots right at Warwhawk fielders.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Wis.-Whitewater 7, Salve Regina 4
Records: Salve Regina (40-9), Wis.-Whitewater (43-10)
All-Time Series: Salve Regina and Wisconsin Whitewater met for the first time ever in any sport two nights ago and now will meet for the third time tonight in a "rubber match."

SUMMARY

  • B3 - Michael Breen singled to left field with one out. After two were out, Evan O'Rourke laced a double down the left field line that brought Breen home with the first run. | Seahawks 1, Warhawks 0
  • T4 - Sam Paden's sacrifice fly came with the bases loaded and one out as Eli Frank scored from third. | Seahawks 1, Warhawks 1
  • B4 - Matt D'Amato walked and advanced to third on an error during a fielder's choice grounder before coming home on a double-play grounder. | Seahawks 2, Warhawks 1
  • T5 - Three-run triple by Adam Cootway down the right-field line scored Aaron Holland, Matt Scolan, and Eli Frank. | Warhawks 4, Seahawks 2
  • T6 - Frank's single up the middle scored Holland from second. | Warhawks 5, Seahawks 2
  • B6 - Christian Homa had a one-out single and Matt D'Amato followed with a two-run homer to right field. | Warhawks 5, Seahawks 4
  • T8 - Cootway and Paden had RBI singles to provide insurance runs for the Warhawks. | Warhawks 7, Seahawks 4

NOTEWORTHY

NEXT UP
Salve Regina and Wisconsin Whitewater meet for the third time in three days when the teams return tonight (8:45 p.m.) for a decisive semifinal game at Classic Park.