It was almost over before it started.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater star Brady Endl belted a grand slam with nobody out in the first inning, and the Warhawks cruised to an 8-1 victory over Salisbury University in an elimination game Saturday (May 29) at the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship at Fox Cities Stadium.

"With the bases juiced there, you're just looking to make good contact," said Endl, who was named the American Baseball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Player of the Year on Friday.

The Warhawks (38-8) loaded the bases in the first on an infield single by starting pitcher Ryan Callahan, a single to left field from Dan Gnatzig and an error. Endl, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, then blasted a fastball from Salisbury starter Mac Mollet high and deep over the left field fence to put UW-Whitewater up 4-0.

"I thought it was our day when Brady hit the grand slam," UW-Whitewater coach John Vodenlich said.

That was all the support Warhawks starter Ryan Callahan would need. Callahan went eight innings and allowed one run on six hits. He struck out two and walked three.

"Today, without a doubt, was a day when (Callahan) didn't have his best stuff," Vodenlich said.

Callahan said he really didn't need his best and gave credit to his teammates for staking him to the big lead early.

"If you can get that little boost of momentum, that's huge," Callahan said.

"It was a whole team effort where I didn't have to have my best stuff."

UW-Whitewater tacked on a pair of runs in the second, highlighted by catcher Aaron Guilbault's two-run double. Clutch hits were the order of the day early for the Warhawks, and that was something that was missing in their 8-2 loss to Rowan University in the opening round.

"We gave away some at-bats yesterday one through nine (in the batting order), and I think we were eager to get back out there," said Guilbault, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Salisbury (37-13) got its lone run in the fifth when David Sutton singled and scored on Greg Lemon's ground ball.

The Warhawks put up the final runs of the day when they scored a pair of runs in the sixth with the help of two hits, an error and Guilbault's sacrifice fly.

UW-Whitewater, which picked up its first victory in four chances in the finals, advances to play either SUNY-Brockport or Eastern Connecticut State University Sunday (May 30) at noon in an elimination game.