The UW-Whitewater baseball put on a live version of “Stayin’ Alive” Monday, and now will play for the NCAA Division III World Series title.
The Warhawks (43-10) defeated Salve Regina (Rhode Island) College twice Monday by scores of 7-4 and 5-2 to advance to the best-of-3 championship series against Misericordia (Pennsylvania) University (41-10). That series will begin Tuesday, with the final game or games Thursday at Eastlake, Ohio.
After the Warhawks lost a pitchers’ duel to Salve Regina on Saturday night, they had to win the next three games in the double-elimination bracket play to advance to the championship series.
They faced a 10-5 deficit with just three at-bats left Sunday against tournament darling Birmingham-Southern, but the Warhawks rallied for an 11-10 victory.
That set the bracket championship against Salve Regina with the Warhawks needing two wins.
The Warhawks used a bases-loaded triple by Jeff Cootway to pound the Seahawks 7-4 in Monday’s first game.
UW-Whitewater coach John Vodenlich said after the first-game win Monday that his team was prepared for the moment.
“We play doubleheaders in our league on Saturdays and Sundays, so we’re used to this,” Vodenlich said.
The deciding game, which UW-Whitewater won 4-2, was close throughout.
Both teams matched runs in the second and fourth innings.
The Warhawks took a 1-0 lead in the second when Danny Hopper doubled and Sam Paden singled.
Salve Regina answered in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Cannoe homered off Warhawks starter Jack Hagen.
The Warhawks regained the lead in the fourth when an error allowed Andy Thies to reach second. Paden then hit a single into left.
Once again, the Seahawks answered in the bottom of the inning. Two singles and a sacrifice fly knotted the score.
The left-handed-hitting Holland provided the Warhawks the lead for good with his blast that just cleared the left-field fence to lead off the eighth inning. The hit came on a 0-2 count. After a flyout, Eli Frank, Cootway and Hopper hit consecutive singles to hike the lead to 4-2.
The Warhawks added an insurance run in the ninth. Bennett Frazer singled with one out and Holland walked. The runners advanced on a groundout. Frank then bounced a slow grounder to shortstop and just beat the throw as Frazer scored.
The safe ruling withstood a challenge, and the run eased the tension somewhat in the bottom of the ninth.
After Max Huseboe pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jack Hagen, Logan Eisenbarth came on for his second save of the day. The 6-1, 210-pound sophomore right-hander struck out the first two Seahawks hitters.
But the next hitter walked on a 3-1 count, and the next batter was nicked by a pitch on a 1-2 count. That put the tying run at the plate. Eisenbarth fell behind 2-0, but then got the hitter to sky one to center field that McVay caught to end the game and send the Warhawks to the championship series.
UW-Whitewater 7, Salve Regina University 4 — Led by Cootway’s 3-for-5 performance, the top four hitters in the Warhawks went 9-for-18 with seven runs scored and five RBI in Monday afternoon’s opening win that kept the Warhawks alive.
Cootway’s bases-clearing triple in the top of the fifth scored Holland and Matt Scolan, who had singled, and Frank, who was hit by a pitch, to give the Warhawks a 4-2 lead.
Frank’s RBI single in the sixth increased the advantage to 5-2.
A two-run homer by Salve Regina’s Matt D’Amato in the bottom of the sixth got the Seahawks to within 5-4.
In the top of the eighth inning, Cootway and Paden added RBI singles to provide the Warhawks their final margin.
Cade Berendt, who pitched seven innings in the Warhawks opening victory against Randolph-Macon College on Friday, started and worked four innings. Cade Hansen pitched the next 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs.
Ethan Wickman (2-0) got his first taste of World Series action and earned the victory. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound freshman left-hander pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed just one baserunner on a walk. Wickman is the son of former UW-Whitewater and major league reliever Bob Wickman.
Eisenbarth, a 6-1, 210-pound sophomore right-hander, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the season. His third save that came five hours later put the Warhawks into the championship series.
Cue up that Bee Gees song. They’re just staying alive.
GAME 12 MONDAY
UW-WHITEWATER 7, SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY 4
UW-Whitewater 000 131 020 —7 12 1
Salve Regina Un. 001 102 000 —4 6 2
Leading hitters—Holland (WW) 2x4, Scolan (WW) 2x6, Frank (WW) 2x3. Cootway (WW) 3x5; O’Rourke (RS) 2x4. 2B—Frank (WW), O’Rourke (WW). 3B—Cootway (WW). HR—D’Amato (RS).
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)—WW: Berendt, 4-3-2-1-2-4, Hansen, 2 1/3-3-2-2-0-2, Wickman, W, 1 2/3-0-0-0-1-0, Eisenbarth, S, 1-0-0-0-0-0. RS: DeRienzo, 4-3-1-1-4-2, Ortiz, L, 0-2-3-3-0-0, DelVecchio, 3 1/3-6-3-1-3-0, Carozza, 2/3-1-0-0-0-0, Callano, 1-0-0-0-0-0.
GAME 14 MONDAY
UW-WHITEWATER 5, SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY 2
UW-Whitewater 010 100 021 —5 12 0
Salve Regina Un. 010 100 000 —2 6 1
Leading hitters—Hopper (WW) 2x3, Paden (WW) 2x2; Homa (SR) 2x3. 2B—Hopper (WW), Frazer (WW), Homa (SR). HR—Cannoe (SR), Holland (WW).
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)—WW: Hagen, 6-5-2-2-0-2, Husebo, W, 2-1-0-0-0-1, Eisenbarth, S, 1-0-0-0-1-0; SR: Carozza, 5-4-2-1-2-2, Arrigo, 3-6-2-2-0-2, Clark, 1-2-1-1-1-1.
NCAA DIVISON III WORLD SERIES
At Eastlake, Ohio
(Two pods, double-elimation; pod winners play best-of-3 series to determine national champion)
Upper pod: Endicott (Massachusetts) College, University of Lynchburg (Virginia), Misericordia (Pennsylvania) University and Pomona-Pizer (California) College
Lower pod: Birmingham-Southern (Alabama) College, Randolph-Macon (Virginia) College, Salve Regina (Rhode Island) University, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
RESULTS FRIDAY
Game 1: (No. 5 seed) Misericordia University 6, (4) Pomona-Pitzer College 3
Game 2: (8) University of Lynchburg 7, (1) Endicott College 2
Game 3: (2) Salve Regina University 7, (7) Birmingham-Southern College 5
Game 4: (3) UW-Whitewater 11, (6) Randolph-Macon College 3
RESULTS SATURDAY
Game 5: Endicott College 7, Pomona- Pitzer College (37-15) 6, (Pomona-Pitzer eliminated)
Game 6: University of Lynchburg 6, Misericordia University 2
Game 7: Birmingham-Southern 9, Randolph-Macon College 7 (Randolph-Macon eliminated)
Game 8: Salve Regina University 2, UW-Whitewater 0
RESULTS SUNDAY
Game 9: Misericordia University 12, Endicott College 4 (Endicott College eliminated)
Game 10: UW-Whitewater 11, Birmingham Southern 10 (Birmingham-Southern eliminated)
RESULTS MONDAY
Game 11: Misericordia University 3, University of Lynchburg 2
Game 12: UW-Whitewater 7, Salve Regina University 4
Game 13: Misericordia University 5, University of Lynchburg 1 (University of Lynchburg eliminated)
Game 14: UW-Whitewater 5, Salve Regina 2 (Salve Regina University eliminated)
GAME TUESDAY
Championship Series, UW-Whitewater (43-10) vs. Misericordia University (41-10), 6 p.m. (Game 1 moved from Wednesday because of weather forecast)
GAME(S) THURSDAY
Championship Series, Game 2, 10 a.m.
Championship Series, Game 3 (if necessary), 45 minutes after Game 2
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