Photo by: Steve Frommell
WHITEWATER, Wis. – For the first time since 2003, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team (26-15) advanced to the WIAC Tournament title game on Saturday. To advance to the championship, the Pioneers upset and shut out top-seeded UW-Whitewater (35-6) 1-0 early in the day, but then fell 9-2 to the #2 seed UW-Oshkosh (36-6) inside Van Steenderen Stadium.
Against the No. 15 Warhawks
The Pioneers pitching of freshmen Bentley Cutts and Morgan Erickson (W, 10-5) followed their combined no-hitter on Friday with another outstanding performance in the circle, combining for nine strikeouts and zero walks while surrendering just four hits in another tournament shutout. UW-Platteville was only the third team all season to blank the Warhawks.
As the pitcher's dual got underway, Cutts closed out the first three innings with back-to-back strikeouts, tallying six swinging strikeouts after three frames.
In the fourth inning, junior Melissa Dietz put the Pioneers on the board with a lead-off no-doubter to center field. The Warhawks battled in the bottom of the inning, but with bases loaded the Pioneers escaped a close call with a fielder's choice from short stop to third base to preserve their lead.
Looking for insurance, UW-Platteville loaded the bases with singles by Dietz, senior Felicia Teubert and senior Jordan Johnson in the sixth frame, but a pop-up and strikeout kept it a one-run game. The tying run sat at first base with two outs in the final inning, but a ground ball down the left line was cleanly fielded by Dietz for the final out and win.
Dietz and Johnson each finished the game 2-for-3 while four Warhawks accumulated the four hits against.
Championship Game Against No. 16 Titans
Looking for their first conference title since 1992, the Pioneers worked quicker to jump out to a lead in the final game of the tournament. With one out and a runner on third in the bottom of the first, a fly ball to right field was air-mailed by senior Alex Davis to sophomore catcher Kaitlin Jesberger for the tag and double play.
Moving into the second inning, Johnson led off with a single to left field and the senior soon scored when Cutts homered to left field for a 2-0 advantage. The lead was short-lived though as a tough bottom of the inning featured three fielding errors, three hits and four runs scored for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh went on to score at least one run in each of the next innings and kept the Pioneers from cutting into that lead before the end of seven.
Both Dietz and Johnson finished the second game 2-for-3 once again as Oshkosh outhit the Pioneers 11-6.
At the conclusion of their historic tournament run, the Pioneers are 46-46 all-time in the WIAC Tournament. The team's 26 wins on the season is also a team-best since 1992.
