2025 WIAC Baseball Championship

La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team (33-7) faces UW-Oshkosh (29-11) in the 2025 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament (presented by Culver's) on Thursday, May 8. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at UW-Whitewater's Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium. 
 
WIAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

• UWL is appearing in the WIAC Tournament for the 22nd time in the 26 years of the league tournament, with a 30-31 all-time record. 
• UWL has advanced to the WIAC Championship game in eight of the past 11 tournaments, winning the title in 2012, 2016 and 2023
• The Eagles went 2-2 at the 2024 WIAC Tournament losing game one to UW-Stevens Point (3-0) but then defeating UW-Oskosh 17-9 in an elimination game. They then knocked out UW-Stevens Point (8-1) before falling to UW-Whitewater in the WIAC Championship 11-3. 

THE BASICS

• Game time: 3:00 pm
• Location: Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium, Whitewater, Wis.
• Regular Season Match-ups between UW-Oshkosh and UW-La Crosse: These two teams played a four game series on April 5 and 6 in Oshkosh, Wis. The Eagles swept the four game series by the scores of 11-4, 15-4, 10-5 and 13-2. 
• Tournament Bracket/Seeds: The top four teams qualify for the WIAC tournament with the top seed earning the right to host. UW-Whitewater won the regular season title by going 24-4 in WIAC play.   
  • Game 1--UW-Platteville (#4) at UW-Whitewater (#1), 12:00 p.m.  (Live Video) (Live Stats)
  • Game 2--UW-Stevens Point (#3) vs. UW-La Crosse (#2), 3:00 p.m.  (Live Video) (Live Stats)
  • Complete Tournament schedule here
• WIAC Tournament Champion: The winner of the WIAC Tournament earns an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships with the opening round Regional on May 16-18. 

FROM THE DIAMOND

• As a team, the Eagles enter the tournament hitting .333 which ranks second in the WIAC. Individually, George Seaman leads the way hitting .388 with nine doubles, a WIAC high 15 home runs, 46 runs scored and 48 RBIs. Nate Witte is second on the team batting .368 with a WIAC high 16 doubles, 43 runs scored, 24 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Next for the Eagles offense is Chris VandenHeuvel with a .356 batting average along with 40 runs scored, eight doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBI.  
• UWL's pitching staff has compiled a 3.46 earned run average this season with three complete games and three shutouts. The Eagles are holding opponents to a .249 batting average while recording 311 strikeouts in 336.0 innings.Chayce Osterhaus (7-1) and Isaiah Katz (7-1) have been the top aces for the Eagles so far this season. Osterhaus has a 3.20 ERA  in 50.2 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts and only five walks. In a team high 52.2 innings pitched, Katz has a 3.59 ERA, 45 strikeouts and a team high two complete games with one shutout.Caleb Matl (2-0) and Mitchel Fassbender (2-1) have been the top relievers out of the bullpen this season. In 11 appearances and 26.1 innings of relief, Matl has a 1.71 ERA with two saves, 23 strikeouts and just one walk. With a team high 12 appearances, Fassbender has a 2.11 ERA in 21.1 innings and 30 strikeouts.  

HEAD COACH CHRIS SCHWARZ

• Schwarz is in his 21st season and has an overall record of 532-337-2 (.610). 
• The winningest coach in school history, Schwarz has led the Eagles to seven appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2024).
• The Eagles have also advanced to the NCAA World Series three times (2015, 2016, 2023) including a national runner-up finish in 2015 under Schwarz leadership.