ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team (19-7) kept fans on the edge of their seats Monday night as the Pioneers rallied not once, but twice to sweep Augustana College (18-6) in Rock Island. After extending the first game to extra innings, the Pioneers won the 11-inning brawl 10-9 and would go on to rally once again by scoring five runs in the seventh inning to take game two 6-5.
Five Pioneers went yard in the game one, with the first two home runs by sophomores Rylee Broshous and Allison Peters in the sixth inning giving UW-Platteville a 5-2 lead. Augustana scored five runs of their own in the sixth, for the Vikings to take a 7-5 lead, but the Pioneers didn't back down and came responded with two more home runs by senior Jordan Johnson and freshman Bentley Cutts to tie the game 7-7. Each team scored one run in the ninth and in the 11th inning freshman Morgan Erickson homered to center field to extend UW-Platteville's lead to 10-8. The Vikings scored one run, but the tying run was left stranded on second.
In game two, the Vikings jumped out to a 5-0 lead after five innings, but the Pioneers would comeback once again, starting with Broshous' second home run of the day in the sixth inning. Trailing 5-1 going into the top of the seventh, senior Autumn Grayczyk hit an RBI double to right center to start the comeback. Momentum continued as sophomore Mia Savage drove in a run on an infield single. Broshous continued to have a day as the fourth run scored on a triple to right center and the tying run scored on an error by the second baseman. Senior Felecia Teubert batted in the go-ahead run off a double to right field. Leading by one, it was three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh and UW-Platteville held on to the 6-5 to complete the non-conference sweep.
Erickson captured the win in game one (6-1) and closed out the final inning of game two for her fourth save of the season. The Pioneer struck out six, walked two, and allowed nine hits and seven runs, including one earned across 7.1 innings in game one.
Cutts started game two, pitching 3.2 innings where she struck out six, walked four and allowed six hits and four runs. Savage (1-0) relieved cuts and struck out one, walked none and surrendered three hits and one run in 2.1 innings.
The Pioeners will return to action when they return home for a doubleheader against UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday, April 16 starting at 2 p.m.
*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a $3 Pioneer burger the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.
