PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team took two on Sunday afternoon from Grinnell College, defeating the visiting Pioneers 3-2, before using a hot start to take the second game 6-3.
UW-Platteville improves to 17-9 on the season while Grinnell fell to 6-22.
Game 1
After two quiet innings, Grinnell got on the board first by walking in one run. UW-Platteville answered in the bottom of the third inning when senior
Melissa Dietz singled to left field for an RBI.
UW-Platteville scored two more runs in the fourth inning behind RBI singles by seniors
Morgan Brummer and
Greta Volkening. The two runs scored would be just enough as the visitors could only answer with one run in the top of the sixth.
Junior
Avery Lundblad got the start in the circle and pitched the first two innings, striking out one and walking one on one hit and run. Freshman
Nora Buske (W,5-2) picked up the win and struck out five, walked none and allowed three hits and a run.
Game 2
Grinnell scored first once again in game two, this time on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. However, UW-Platteville posted three runs of its own in the bottom of the opening inning with an RBI double by Dietz and a two-RBI double by junior
Mia Savage.
The visitors loaded the bases in the third inning, but a huge strikeout by freshman Peyton Gile retired Grinnell. UW-Platteville then added to their advantage in the third with run scored off of sophomore
Delaney Johnson's sacrifice fly.
In the fourth inning, Grinnell scored one run, and freshman
Addison Conrad answered for the Pioneers with an RBI double to left center. An RBI by Broshous on the next at-bat extended the advantage to 6-2 before the end of the inning. The visitors would add one final run in the top of the seventh to conclude the day.
Gile pitched the first three innings and struck out four, walked one and allowed four hits and one run. Senior
Carlie Jo Brownlee (W, 4-3) closed out the final four innings and tallied six strikeouts while walking one and allowing six hits and two runs.
The Pioneers will return to action and WIAC play on Tuesday, April 21 when they travel to UW-La Crosse for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
*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.
