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WSU survived a ninth inning push from Viterbo (Wis.) and won 5-3 Monday in a nonconference matchup at Loughrey Field.
The V-Hawks, who finish with a 29-16 mark, made things interesting in the top of the ninth inning.
Viterbo’s Howard Heinrich walked then Josh Underkofler followed with a single to load the bases. The next batter, Connor O’Halloran, singled in two to give Viterbo its first two runs of the game.
Shane Michiels followed with an RBI double to make the score 5-3. After the double, Viroqua High School graduate Evan Buhr was brought in to relieve Brent Wohlers.
With runners at second and third, V-Hawks third baseman Kyle Dreger hit a towering fly ball to left center field and the ball was caught on the warning track by Warriors left fielder Brett Maxwell to end the game.
“I thought when (Dreger) hit that ball it was out of the park,” Viterbo coach Chad Miller said. “It’s clear that the ball doesn’t carry too well at night. He hit that ball pretty well and if he hit that ball during the day, I’m pretty sure it would’ve left the park.”
After eight innings, WSU led 5-0 and only allowed three hits. Wohlers retired two of the first three hitters to start the ninth but had trouble after that.
Before the ninth inning, WSU (21-19) had a stranglehold on the game. Every inning the Warriors brought in a different pitcher and they ended up using nine pitchers overall. Those nine pitchers gave up three runs on six hits, walked six and struck out seven.
“We pre-determined who was going to be pitching what inning, so everyone knew who was going to be pitching what inning,” said Winona State coach Kyle Poock, whose team plays Thursday at 1 p.m. against Wayne State (Neb.) in the NSIC tournament.
“It’s tough for the opposing team to get in a rhythm because they’re facing a new pitcher every inning.”
For Viterbo, starter Levi Adank went six innings, allowed four runs on five hits, walked five and struck out six.
