PLATTEVILLE, Wis.  -  The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team (22-8, 5-1) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh for a thrilling 5-4 walk-off win over UW-Stout (11-15, 1-3) on Saturday afternoon. The victory clinched the sweep of the Blue Devils after the Pioneers picked up a dominant 11-5 victory in the opener.  

UW-Stout scored first in game one, driving in two runs in the first frame, but junior Caitlin Giacomo hit an RBI single in the second inning to cut the deficit in half. Junior Greta Volkening scored the tying run in the second and an RBI single by senior Alex Davis gave the Pioneers a 3-2 lead. With two outs on the board, Giacomo hit another RBI single and scored a run along with senior Taylor Roughen on a perfectly placed single to center field by senior Calli Storms. 

The Blue Devils score one run in the fourth frame after a wild pitch, but UW-Platteville increased its lead by five more runs thanks to three RBI singles and another two-RBI single by Storms. UW-Stout scored two runs in top of the fifth before the Pioneer secured the 11-5 victory. 

Storms finished the first game 3-for-3 with four RBI. Roughen (7-4) captured the win, pitching the first 4.2 innings and striking out six, walking one and allowing nine hits and five runs with three runs earned. 

In the second game, UW-Stout jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, but freshman Morgan Erickson hit a double to right center, scoring one run in the bottom of the inning. The Pioneers cut UW-Stout's lead to one run in the fourth when Davis hit an RBI single to center field. UW-Platteville forced back-to-back innings of three and out, but the Blue Devils extended their lead and scored a fourth run in the top of the seventh off a double to center field.

With one out on the board, Roughen kept comeback hopes alive with a double hit to deep left center. Pinch hitter freshman Delaney Johnson came in clutch during the next at bat with another double to left center, which scored one run. With runners on first and second, sophomore Allison Peters hit the Pioneers' third double of the inning to left field, scoring the tying run. Still with one out on the board, junior Melissa Dietz stepped up to the plate and drilled the walk-off single up the middle to complete the comeback and secure the conference sweep. 

Freshman Bentley Cutts started the game in the circle, striking out three, walking three and allowing two hits and three runs in the first 1.2 innings. Erickson (8-2) finished the remaining 5.1 innings where she tallied five strikeouts, walked none and allowed six hits and one run. 

The Pioneers will return to action on Tuesday, April 22 when they travel to UW-Whitewater for a doubleheader starting at 3 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.