CLEVELAND -- Auburn Roberson singled to centerfield to drive home pinch runner Belle Lapacek with the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give UW-Whitewater a 7-6 victory over host Case Western Reserve University in a NCAA Division III regional game Friday afternoon.
The victory puts the top-seeded Warhawks in today鈥檚 championship round of the regional. The Warhawks (37-6) play Case Western Reserve for the right to move on to next week鈥檚 Super Regionals. The host Spartans have to beat the Warhawks twice today to advance.
鈥渋t is nice to be the undefeated team going into the final day,鈥 Warhawks coach Brenda Volk said. 鈥淏ut we also know that we have to play the way we have been playing all year long, which is playing one pitch at a time, and being ready for anything.
Josie Hammen, who pitched a no-hitter in Thursday鈥檚 opening-round victory over Penn College, earned the win in relief Friday. Hammen, a sophomore righthander, is 17-2.
鈥淛osie has had a terrific year for us,鈥 Volk said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really been fun to watch her all year long.
鈥淛osie only threw two innings for us as a freshman,鈥 Volk said. 鈥淲hat she had done for us this season has been quite impressive and a testament to her hard work all year long.鈥
Dani Peshia was the offensive star for the Warhawks, who have won 14 of their last 15 games. The freshman designated hitter/catcher went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Peshia doubled to put Lapacek on third and set up Roberson鈥檚 winning hit in the eighth inning.
Peshia鈥檚 RBI single drove home Bell Eggert, who had walked, with the initial run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Roberson walked to force in a second run, and Claire Kohnle walked home to force the Warhawks鈥 third run.
Kohnle walked three times and did not have an official at-bat but scored a run and drove in one.
鈥淐laire has come up with some big hits for us, along with many big defensive plays,鈥 Volk said. 鈥淭oday she caught a ball right up against the outfield fence to save some runs. She is a tremendous leader.鈥
Five Warhawks drove in at least one run.
鈥淪o many different players have stepped up and have gotten the job done when their name has been called,鈥 Volk said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually been one of my favorite things about this season.鈥
Case Western Reserve scored twice in both the second and third innings to take a 4-3 lead, but the Warhawks answered with three runs in the bottom of the third.
After two more walks, Warhawk hitters drew 10 bases on balls in the game, Taylor Koehler hit a two-run double.
Second baseman Kaitlyn Weidemann singled to score Koehler to give the Warhawks a 6-4 lead.
The Spartans tied the game with two runs in the seventh inning, setting up Roberson鈥檚 walk-off single in the eighth.
鈥淲e have been battle tested all year long playing in the tough WIAC,鈥 Volk said. 鈥淚 think that helped us keep our composure.鈥
UW-WHITEWATER 7, CASE WESTERN RESERVE 6
Case Western Reserve;022;000;20;--6;6;1
鲍奥-奥丑颈迟别飞补迟别谤;303;000;01鈥7;8;3
Leading hitters鈥擟WR: Katelyn Lamm 2x2; UWW: Dani Peshia 3x5.2B鈥擨ssabella Russo (CWR), Dani Peshia (UWW), Taylor Koehler (UWW).
