WHITEWATER, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team (14-8, 0-2) dropped a pair of conference games to UW-Whitewater (14-2, 2-0) on Friday afternoon. The Warhawks bundled a pair of walk-offs to secure the 4-3 opener win and 5-4 victory in the nightcap.
The Pioneers led for most of game one thanks to an RBI double by sophomore Jordan Johnson in the first inning. It took until the sixth for UW-Whitewater to get on the board as they hit a two-run homerun to go ahead 2-1.
Sophomore Alexandria Davis tied the game in the seventh when she homered to left center and freshman Melissa Dietz gave the Pioneers their second lead of the day off an RBI single. The Pioneers held on to their lead through the first two outs of the bottom of the inning, but the Warhawks scored the walk-off run with a double to left field.
Senior Claire Bakkestuen pitched the first 5.1 innings and surrendered eight hits and three runs while striking out and walking none. Sophomore Taylor Roughen (7-2) relieved Bakkestuen in the sixth and allowed two hits and one run while also walking and striking out none.
Maddy Anderson (3-2) claimed the win and struck out eight, walked none and allowed five hits and two runs (one earned).
In the second game, the Pioneers once again got on the board early, this time thanks to a homerun by Bakkestuen in the first inning to score two runs. Unlike the previous game, the Warhawks tied the game right away with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first and added one more in the second.
As part of Dietz's 4-for-4 appearance in the second game, the freshman drilled one to right center to double and score the tying run. The teams exchanged solo homeruns with UW-Whitewater scoring one run in the sixth and Dietz hitting a dinger to centerfield in the seventh. The Warhawks walked in their second walk-off run of the day, scoring the unearned game-winning run to finish the day.
Roughen (7-3) pitched a complete game and struck out two, walked three and allowed nine hits and five runs (four earned). A trio of Warhawks took to the circle in game two and struck out a total of five and walked one and allowed eight hits. Brooke Hock (5-0) secured the win and pitched the final two/thirds of the seventh and struck out two, walked none and allowed one hit.
The Pioneers will take a break and return to action next weekend when they host UW-La Crosse at home for Youth Day on Saturday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
