UW-Whitewater reliever Brady Malkow, a sophomore out of Brodhead High School, gets the final three outs of the Warhawks’ 17-4 victory over Rowan University in the NvCAA Division III World Series at Eastlake, Ohio on Monday. The victory puts the Warhawks into the best-of-three championship series against Messiah (Pennsylvania) University that begins at 2 p.m. today.
UW-Whitewater reliever Brady Malkow, a sophomore out of Brodhead High School, gets the final three outs of the Warhawks’ 17-4 victory over Rowan University in the NvCAA Division III World Series at Eastlake, Ohio on Monday. The victory puts the Warhawks into the best-of-three championship series against Messiah (Pennsylvania) University that begins at 2 p.m. today.
COURTESY OF RYAN COLEMAN/d3photo
EASTLAKE, Ohio — Going up against the UW-Whitewater lineup with a rested, healthy baseball pitching staff is difficult.
When your limited amount of quality pitchers—especially relievers—have been used up in three games in three days, well, ask Rowan (N.J.) University head coach Mike Dickson.
“We came out of the gate well,” Dickson said Monday afternoon at the NCAA Division III World Series in Eastlake, Ohio. “The first five we were right there.
“We just ran out of arms.”
The Warhawks, like sharks seeing wounded prey thrashing in the water, attacked.
Leading 5-4 going into the bottom of the seventh, Whitewater scored four runs against two Profs relievers to open up a 9-4 lead.
Then with Rowan’s relieve corps looking like a punched-out George Foreman in the eighth round in the “Rumble in the Jungle,” the Warhawks scored eight runs before anyone was retired in the eighth inning. Like Foreman, Rowan was knocked out of the World Series by the Warhawks’ 17-4 victory.
Change in plans
Whitewater advances to the best-of-3 championship series against Messiah (Pennsylvania) University starting with Game 1 at 2 p.m. today. The series originally was scheduled to start Wednesday, but rain is forecasted for the Cleveland area Thursday.
“I don’t know if there’s an advantage to either team,” UW-Whitewater coach John Vodenlich said in a phone interview Monday night.
Vodenlich noted that this is the second year in a row the championship series scheduled was changed.
Vodenlich said the change in schedule means the Warhawks won’t be able to use No. 1 starter Cade Hansen in the opener.
“I don’t know if you ever want a national championship decided on anything other than your top two pitchers facing each other,” Vodenlich said. “I would think you would want everyone’s No. 1 going on day one and everyone’s 2 going on day two, and everyone’s 3 going on day three. That is what most people would want to see.
“We’ll see how it plays out.”
Offense is hot
Vodenlich also said several Whitewater fans had planned to drive to Cleveland on the off-day today, but now they’ll miss the series opener.
What he hopes they’ll miss is the Warhawks’ continual offensive barrage.
The Warhawks, seeded third in the original eight-team World Series, had 17 hits Monday. In the three World Series games, the Warhawks have 46 hits and 35 runs.
“It was a good game into the fifth inning,” Vodenlich said. “We’re fortunate that as the game goes on, we were able to score some runs.”
Catcher and leadoff man Aaron Holland led the hit parade by going 4-for-6 after going 0-for-8 the first two games.
“It’s nice, but it’s not just about me,” Holland said. “We have a lot of guys that do that.”
Holland and hitting machine Jeff Cootway each drove in three runs. Cootway, the Warhawks senior designated hitter, is 28-for-61 (.459) with 19 RBI and 17 runs scored in the Warhawks’ 14 post-season games.
Cootway gave credit to the overall team hitting with making it easier to produce.
“I’m just doing what they’re doing,” said Cootway, who is hitting .417 with 86 hits in 53 games, including team-leading 20 homers and 68 RBI.
“This is a special player,” Vodenlich said. “I’ve coached a lot of good hitters…but this is different.”
Leftfielder Matt Scolan and first baseman Eli Frank also each contributed three hits.
Rightfielder Sam Paden drove in four runs with two hits, including a three-run homer in the eight-run eighth inning.
“Our batters do a great job competing on every pitch,” Vodenlich said. “It’s not rocket science, but our guys are trying to make the game as long as they can for the opposing staff.”
Max Huseboe started on the mound and earned the win to raise his record to 6-1. The WIAC Pitcher of the Year went 5 2/3 innings and gave up three earned runs. Sophomore Ethan Wickman, the son of former UW-Whitewater and major league reliever Bob Wickman, pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner on a walk.
“Max put us in a good spot to win,” Wickman said. “All I did was come in and get outs. That’s my job.”
Sophomore Brady Malkow, a Brodhead High School product, got the final three outs.
Warhawks go for No. 3
Now the Warhawks will go for the school’s third Division III championship, joining the 2005 and 2014 teams also coached by Vodenlich.
Last season, they finished second to Misericordia University, which like Messiah University, is located in Pennsylvania.
Vodenlich believes the experience that the team went through last year will help in the next two days.
“I know Misericordia was here two years in a row,” Vodenlich said. “I think that’s a great thing to draw on.”
UW-WHITEWATER 17, ROWAN UNIVERSITY 4
Rowan 020 011 000 —4 7 2
UW-Whitewater 100 130 48x 17 17 1
Leading hitters—Rowan: Mannino 2x3. UWW: Holland 4x6, Scolan 3x5, Cootway 3x6, Frank 3x5, Paden 2x4. 2B—Siriani (Ro), Scolan (W), Cootway (W). HR—Paden (W).
