PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team (11-11, 6-8 WIAC) split Sunday's doubleheader with UW-River Falls (10-15, 4-10), falling 13-12 in game one before bouncing back to win 10-3 in game two from Kendall Murray Field.

Game One

Senior Justin Fago put the Pioneers on the board in the bottom of the first inning, launching a three-run home run to right center field. UW-River Falls countered with an RBI double in the top half of the second, but senior Slate Higa connected on UW-Platteville's second home run of the game to make it 4-1.

The Pioneers continued to add to the lead, getting RBIs from junior Mason Molitor, Fago, and senior Brady Katterhagen over the next couple innings to increase the lead to 7-1. But the Falcons rallied, scoring 12 runs across the fifth through eighth innings to jump in front 13-7.

Fago hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, scoring freshman Anthony Massa to cut the deficit down to four. The Pioneers almost pulled off the comeback in the bottom of the ninth, getting a two-run double from Katterhagen and a bases loaded walk from junior Blake Bussan to make it 13-12. UW-River Falls managed to hold on, retiring the Pioneers on a fly out to pick up the game one win.

UW-Platteville totaled 14 hits in the game, led by Fago's 2-for-5 performance with a pair of home runs and six RBI. Freshman Trinity Beland and sophomore Caleb Parker each recorded three-hit games, while freshman Anthony Massa went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.

On the mound, junior Jordan Stanton got the start for the Pioneers, allowing five runs across five innings. Freshman Brayden Schimmel (2-1) was charged with the loss after surrending the go-ahead runs in the seventh inning.

Game Two

The Falcons started the scoring in game two, getting one on an RBI single in the top of the first before hitting a home run in the third to take a 2-0 lead. UW-Platteville tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run double by Massa that brought in junior Sam Meidenbauer and Parker.

Meidenbauer gave the Pioneers the lead in the bottom of the fifth after he demolished a pitch to left field for a solo home run. The home team was able to add to more runs in the frame on RBI doubles by Fago and Bussan to stake a 5-2 advantage heading into the sixth.

UW-Platteville added to the lead in the sixth on a two-run double by Massa and in the eighth on an RBI single by Parker and a UW-River Falls error to push the lead to 10-2. The Falcons got one back in the top of the ninth, but the Pioneers picked up the 10-3 win to close the weekend series.

The Pioneers outhit the Falcons 13-10 in game two, with the top four hitters in the lineup (Beland, Parker, Meidenbauer, and Massa) and Higa all finishing with multiple hits. Massa drove in four runs, while Meidenbauer scored three times.

Senior Josh Belgrave entered in relief in the third inning and shut the Falcons down across four scoreless innings to pick up the win, allowing just three hits while striking out seven. Junior Sawyer Molitor closed the door on the win, picking up his first save after tossing the final three innings and allowing one run.

Up Next

The Pioneers will travel to UW-Stout next Friday to kick off a four-game series with the Blue Devils. First pitch of game one on Friday is scheduled for 1 p.m.