The exit interviews UW-Whitewater baseball head coach John Vodenlich conducted with each of his players Friday afternoon were not as celebratory as they wanted.
The team returned to Whitewater after finishing second in the NCAA Division III World Series held in the Cleveland suburb of Eastlake, Ohio.
While the 2024 team did not bring home the school’s third national championship trophy, the second-place trophy will be a reminder to each of the returning players—and there are many—on what can be accomplished in the spring of 2025.
The nine days in Eastlake concluded with a 10-5 loss to Misericordia (Pennsylvania) University in the third and deciding game of the championship series. It took three Warhawks pitchers to get out of a first inning in which Misericordia took a 7-0 lead.
“We were one inning away,” Vodenlich said of the team’s national championship aspirations. “We know we didn’t play well in the first inning.”
The loss ended the Warhawks’ season. UW-Whitewater finished 45-12, including 5-3 in World Series play.
The 45 victories tied a school and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season record. The 2005 UW-Whitewater squad set the record the first time when it won the NCAA Division III national championship at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton.
Exciting postseason
The Warhawks’ accomplishments included:
Winning the WIAC regular-season title for the 22nd time.Sweeping three games to win the WIAC Tournament for the eighth time.Going 3-1 to win the NCAA Regional at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium on the UW-Whitewater campus.Coming back from an opening loss to eliminate rival UW-La Crosse in a best-of-3 Super Regional series at Prucha Field.Recovering from a second-game loss to win their double-elimination bracket in the World Series.Forcing the third and deciding game after losing the opener in the series finale against Misericordia.
“It was just a wonderful season,” Vodenlich said. “And the the last three to four weeks, there were just so many memorable moments.
“Some people say that baseball is a boring game,” the head coach said. “Boy, if you watched any of our games, you wouldn’t say that.”
Firepower will be back
Vodenlich said infielder Bennett Frazer (.381 batting average, 53 hits) — one of five UW-Whitewater players named to the All-World Series Tournament team — has used up his eligibility. Starting pitcher Cade Berendt (7-2 in 4 starts) has to receive NCAA clearance if he is to return after playing the 2020 and 2021 seasons at NCAA Division II McKendree (Illinois) University before transferring to Whitewater.
Catcher Joe Gorden and Gabe O’Brien also have used up their eligibility.
Everyone else that contributed to the team that set single-season records in hits (700), RBI (514), total bases (1,096) and pitching staff strikeouts (474) — have indicated they want to be back.
There is the possibility some of the veteran players might be approached by D-I or D-II schools to transfer under the current portal rules.
“There always has been some concerns that way,” Vodenlich said. “We have always been fortunate to have a group of loyal young men.
“We foster good relationships, but that always is a concern,” Vodenlich said. “But as of right now, everybody is excited and preparing for next year.”
All-World Series honors cap memorable individual seasons
In addition to Frazer, four more Warhawks made the All-World Series Tournament team. Frazer, third baseman/pitcher Danny Hopper, right fielder Sam Paden, left fielder Matt Scolan and designated hitter Adam Cootway combined for 59 hits, including five doubles, a triple and seven homers, in the eight games at Eastlake.
The five drove in 36 runs and scored 33.
The World Series performances finished remarkable seasons for several Warhawks.
Scolan, a left-handed junior out of Downers Grove, Illinois, led the team in on base-plus-slugging percentage (1.239), runs (81), hits (92), triples (3), homers (18) and RBI (78). He ranked second in batting average (.404), doubles (20) and stolen bases (18 in 20 attempts).
“He is such a stud,” Vodenlich said. “He might leave with tons of offensive records.”
Scolan was the WIAC Position Player of the Year after earning All-WIAC first-team honors for the second straight season. He was named to the All-America first teams compiled by the American Baseball Coaches Association and D3Baseball.com.
The head coach said Scolan is deserving of the accolades with the work he has put in to improve each season.
“His first couple of years, he didn’t hit with a lot of power,” Vodenlich said. “He struggled with changeups on the outside corner.
“He’s progressed because he’s a quality young man,” Vodenlich said. “He has a relentless work ethic and mental toughness. If it keeps going, I’d love to see what he’s going to do next year.”
No. 1 starter Michael Hilker Jr., the WIAC Pitcher of the Year, joined Scolan in earning All-WIAC first-team honors and All-America first-team accolades from the ABCA/Rawlings and D3Baseball.com. Hilker, a 6-foot-2 sophomore right-hander from Yorkville, Illinois, led the team in ERA (1.96), walks and hits allowed per inning (WHIP, 0.87), victories (nine, tied with freshman Jack Hagen), innings pitched (87 1/3), and strikeouts (116).
“He already has outlined a plan to improve,” Vodenlich said. “He already has addressed what he perceives to be his shortcomings and has formulated a plan of action.
“These are the type of young men we’re dealing with.”
Junior first baseman Eli Frank, who led the team with a .419 batting average and was just behind Scolan for team highs with a 1.237 OPS, 91 hits, 15 homers and 73 RBI earned All-WIAC first-team honors and was on the ABCA/Rawlings All-America second team and D3Baseball.com third team.
Sophomore second baseman Andy Thies was a D3Baseball.com third-team All-America pick and first-team All-WIAC selection. He registered a 1.112 OPS and .371 batting average with 64 runs scored, 15 homers and 71 RBI.
In the final two games against Misericordia on Thursday, the 6-1 left-hander went 6-for-6, with five runs scored, three RBI, two homers and two doubles.
Future looks bright
Vodenlich, the WIAC Coach of the Year, will go into next season tied for the most coaching victories in WIAC play with 728. He is 728-229-1 in 21 seasons as Warhawks head coach.
Those numbers likely will improve greatly during the 2025 season, but Vodenlich is cautious.
“On paper, it looks like a walk in the park,” Vodenlich said. “But it’s never that easy. One critical injury can sideline a team.
“We’re not writing our ticket yet,” Vodenlich said, adding UW-La Crosse was a 2023 World Series participant that had almost everyone returning for this season. “We still have a lot to do.
“Just because everyone is coming back doesn’t mean the same magic can happen again,” he said. “But we’re certainly confident we can put together a quality team.”
And one that will conclude with a better feeling during exit interviews next June.
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