WHITEWATER, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team (25-14) dominated Friday's first game of the WIAC Tournament with four home runs and a no-hitter to shut out UW-La Crosse (28-19) 9-0 in six innings at Van Steenderen Stadium. The no-hitter is a first by any team in the conference tournament since 1993. 

The Pioneers pitching of freshmen Bentley Cutts (W, 2-1) and Morgan Erickson combined for 11 strikeouts and just one walk after Erickson came in for relief in the bottom of the fifth. The pair's no-hitter is the second of the season after senior Taylor Roughen tossed a 5-inning no-hitter early in the season.

On offense, UW-Platteville scored eight of their nine runs off four home runs by four different players. The Pioneers tallied 10 hits and committed no errors while the Eagles committed one. 

Junior Melissa Dietz got the Pioneers on the board in the top of the fourth off a solo homer to lead off the inning. One inning later, sophomore pinch hitter Rylee Broshous doubled the lead on another solo home run to start off the fifth, but this time the Pioneers were not done. With junior Mia Savage on first, sophomore Allison Peters sent another one over the fence to give UW-Platteville a 4-0 lead.  

Three up and three down for the Eagles brought the Pioneers back to hit, and their day got even hotter. After three straight singles, Roughen's single to left field scored one run. UW-La Crosse made a pitching change, but sophomore pinch hitter Peyton Murphy was not phased and dished out another bomb, this time down the left line for a grand slam.  

With Erickson in the circle and three outs away from a run-rule win, the day ended with a strike out looking, a ground out to short stop and a swinging strikeout. 

With the victory, UW-Platteville improves to 45-45 all-time in the conference tournament and it's the team's first win in the opening round since defeating UW-Stevens Point 1-0 in 2023. The Pioneers advance to Saturday where they will face the #1 seed UW-Whitewater at 11 a.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.