WINTER HAVEN, FLA. – A walk-off single by senior Payton Marvin propelled the University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball teams to a 6-5 victory in extra innings against Colby College (5-2) on Tuesday. After the morning victory, the Pioneers (6-4) faced an undefeated Tufts University (8-0) where an early scoring frenzy led the Jumbo to an 11-1 victory.
In the morning matchup, both teams racked up 10 hits. Sophomore Alexandria Davis drove in one run after grounding out to get the Pioneers on the board first in the second inning. Senior Claire Bakkestuen drove in a second run one inning later on a hard groundball to centerfield.
Colby tied the game in the fourth inning off a triple followed by a double. UW-Platteville reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning when sophomore Jordan Johnson's line drive to center field scored Marvin and Bakkestuen. The 4-2 margin would not hold as Colby tied the game once again on the second to last batter of the seventh inning to take the game into extras.
With runners starting on second, Colby managed to score one run in the eighth inning, forcing the Pioneers to score at least one run to stay alive. UW-Platteville started with a sacrifice bunt to advance a runner to third. Freshman Calli Storms singled next to put runners on first and third. Freshman Kate Davis stepped up next and brought in the tying run with a line drive single to centerfield. Marvin was next with runners on first and second with one out and drilled one to left field to bring in the go-ahead run for the walk-off.
Marvin led the Pioneers in the first game, going 3-for-5 at the plate.
Bakkestuen pitched the first five innings and recorded five strikeouts, one walk and seven hits and three runs surrendered. Sophomore Taylor Roughen (3-1) collected the win and totaled two strikeouts and allowed three hits and one earned run.
In the second game, Tufts took an early five-run lead in the first and never looked back in the five-inning game. The Jumbo controlled the game and dished out 10 hits, including two doubles and one homerun, and 11 runs in the first three innings. Tufts also tallied five stolen bases.
Sophomore Calista Fuehrer scored the lone run for the Pioneers off a homerun in the fifth inning.
Emilie Doty (2-0) walked away with the win and racked up four strikeouts in three innings.
The Pioneers will take Wednesday off and return to action on Thursday when they face Washington and Jefferson and Oberlin in Florida.
