RANTOUL, Ill. – Freshman Brayden Knoll hit two home runs and drove in six as the University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team (6-2) rolled to a 19-2 win over MSOE (9-5) on Thursday evening in Rantoul, Illinois.

After retiring the Raiders in order in the top half of the first, the Pioneers' offense jumped out early with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Trinity Beland led off with a home run to right field, and after loading the bases, juniors Tarron Bockhop and Dylan Rippentrop each drove in runs via walks. Following a MSOE pitching change, freshman Brayden Knoll put a stamp on the inning with a grand slam to left field, pushing the lead to seven.

Three more runs were second for UW-Platteville in the second inning, starting with an RBI double by senior Mason Molitor that scored sophomore Anthony Massa. Bockhop then knocked in the next two runs with a single to make it 10-0.

In the fourth, Bockhop scored on a Raiders error before Beland plated Rippentrop with an RBI groundout. Massa singled in Knoll with a two-out single, making it 13-0 heading into the fifth inning.

MSOE scored its lone two runs of the game in the top half of the fifth, but the Pioneers answered with two more in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by junior Evan Bohr and a RBI single by Beland. UW-Platteville scored the final four runs of the game in the sixth, with coming via a pair of wild pitches and the last two on Knoll's second home run of the game.

The Pioneers finished with a season-high 17 hits and 10 walks in the win, led by Knoll's 4-for-5 performance. Knoll drove in six runs and scored three more, while Beland and Bockhop each added three RBI. UW-Platteville had eight extra-base hits and matched a season-high with three home runs in the game.

On the mound, senior Jordan Stanton improved to 3-0 on the season after throwing five innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out four. In relief, freshman Kentin Grantz threw the final two innings and allowed just two hits.

The Pioneers will face Illinois College in a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.

*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a free ice cream cone (with purchase) the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering a free churro (with purchase) the day after each Pioneer win.