UW-L Snaps UW-Whitewater's Winning Streak

For Immediate Release: Saturday, April 26, 2008

La Crosse, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse baseball team split a WIAC doubleheader with sixth-ranked UW-Whitewater Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Warhawks won the opener, 14-7, before the Eagles came back to take the nightcap, 9-8. The win in the second game snapped UW-Whitewater's 15-game winning streak. UW-L is now 15-15 overall and 8-10 in the WIAC while UW-Whitewater is 26-5 overall and 15-3 in the conference.

In the opener, UW-Whitewater scored a pair of runs in the top of the first on Kevin Zalnis’ two-run home run. Travis Kerr hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 2-1. The Warhawks tallied three times in the fourth to lead 5-1, but the Eagles tied the contest with a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Josh Weber had a two-out two-run single in the fourth while Dusty Otto tied the game with a two-run home run in the fifth.

Each team scored twice in the sixth. With two outs in the top of the inning, the Warhawks’ Joe Munn scored on a wild pitch and Billy Johnson made it 7-5 scoring on a UW-L error. The Eagles’ tied the game as Storm Gram had an RBI single and Kerr scored on a UW-Whitewater error.

UW-Whitewater scored four runs in the seventh with Munn getting the go-ahead RBI single to score Ben Prather. Mike Kenseth added a two-run single and Jeff Donovan a sacrifice fly. The Warhawks added three runs in the ninth.

Gregg Reik (1-0) earned the win for UW-Whitewater, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and two runs (both unearned) while striking out two. Steve Hedgepath started for the Warhawks, going 4.2 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs and three walks with three strikeouts. Billy Johnson finished 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored while Zalnis was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.

Brandon Walczak (0-2) took the loss for UW-L, pitching 0.1 of an inning, allowing one run (unearned) with one walk. Luke Zurbriggen started for the Eagles, going 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs (six earned) and four walks while striking out four. Mike Schmidt was 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs while Gram and Otto each finished 3-for-5. Gram had an RBI while Otto finished with two runs and two RBI.

In the nightcap, UW-L took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Kerr walked with the bases-loaded to score Otto. UW-Whitewater led 3-1 in the fourth as Johnson hit a three-run double. The Warhawks added a run in the top of the fifth on Jordan Stine's RBI single, but the Eagles tallied six times in the bottom of the inning to lead 6-4. UW-L scored four unearned runs in the inning as UW-Whitewater commited two errors. Schmidt, Corey Poppitz, Tyler Peterson and Kerr all had RBI for the Eagles.

Gram and Schmidt hit back-to-back run-scoring doubles in the seventh for UW-L as the Eagles took a 9-4 lead. UW-Whitewater scored four times in the ninth, including a two-run single by Prather with two outs to cut the lead to 9-7. After Stine singled to put runners on first and third, Munn was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Johnson then drew a walk from Mike Brehm to force in a run to make it 9-8, but Kenseth hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Greg Gibson (4-1) earned the win for UW-L, going 8.0 innings, allowing nine hits, four runs and two walks with three strikeouts. Brehm pitched 1.0 inning, allowing five hits, four runs (one earned) and one walk. Schmidt was 3-for-5 for the Eagles with a run scored and two RBI while Peterson was 2-for-4 and Gram 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Kale Olson (2-1) was the losing pitcher for UW-Whitewater, going 0.1 of an inning, allowing three hits, six runs (two earned) and one walk. Munn started for the Warhawks, going 3.2 innings, allowing three hits, one run and six walks with one strikeout. Ben Kuhlmann was 3-for-4 while Prather finished 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. Johnson had four RBI.

The teams will play another doubleheader Sunday, April 27 at noon at North Campus Field.