Titans Take Two From Ninth-Ranked Warhawks

UW-Oshkosh used Luke Westphal's (Jr. • Clintonville) pitching gem and Tyler Kamps' (So. • Appleton) walk-off single to sweep a baseball doubleheader against UW-Whitewater on Saturday (April 30) at Tiedemann Field. The Warhawks (23-7/13-5 WIAC) are currently ranked ninth by D3baseball.com, while the Titans (22-8/11-7 WIAC) stand 14th.

Westphal did not walk a batter as he struck out five in a 4-1, complete-game win. He retired the final seven Warhawks of the opener as he improved his record to 5-0. UW-Oshkosh snapped a six-game losing streak to UW-Whitewater with the victory.

Down by one during the ninth inning of game two, Bobby Kachel (So. • La Crosse) drew a leadoff walk. A sacrifice, single and wild pitch placed runners on second and third base. Kamps then ripped an infield single, and the Warhawks threw the ball away to let Nolan Fadness (Sr. • Eau Claire) score for the 5-4 win.

In the opener's third inning, the Warhawks had three men reach base. A single by Rob Coe set up Jeff Donovan, who hit a fly ball deep enough to get the sacrifice and a 1-0 lead. UW-Whitewater couldn't get anything going the rest of the contest, despite two base hits during the seventh frame.

A wild fifth inning included a double from Zachary Peterson (Fr. • Howard) and a triple by Kamps. The smash from Kamps plated two runs before UW-Whitewater committed its second error of the frame to make it 3-1. The Titans got their final tally in the seventh when Fadness stole second base and later scored on Alex Mullendore's (Jr. • Glendale Heights, Ill.) single.

Kamps had two hits to pace UW-Oshkosh, while the WIAC's leading batter, Daniel Putnam, matched him with two of his team's six. Justin Lambert took the loss after yielding one earned run in five frames. Kyle Lee (five outs) and Jack Larsen (four outs) completed the Warhawks' pitching effort.

Putnam began the nightcap with a single and touched home on a Coe triple. The Titans were then down, 2-0, in the third when they got a run-scoring single from Kamps. Kachel executed a great bunt single to score another and tie the contest in the fourth inning.

UW-Whitewater went back in front with a two-run fifth frame. A walk and single got things started before the Warhawks scored on both an error and a double play. The Titans then pulled within 4-3 during the eighth inning after Derek Hiroskey (Sr. • Kimberly) doubled and scored on a groundout.

Mathew Roberts tossed the opening seven innings for UW-Whitewater and surrendered two runs. The loss then went to Coe, who allowed one earned run while getting three outs. The Warhawks totaled eight hits, including two more by Putnam.

The Titans' 10-hit total included two apiece by Fadness, Kamps and Hiroskey. Matt Wells (So. • Little Chute) delivered eight excellent innings and yielded just one ER for the win. Starter Jeremy Rubens (Sr. • New Franken) lasted just the first frame and allowed two runs.

UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater will face off in another doubleheader on Sunday (May 1).