PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team scored nine times in the bottom of the third and ran away with a 13-1 (5 innings) victory to earn a split with UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks took game one 9-1 earlier in the day from the UW-Platteville Softball Complex.
The Pioneers move to 21-13 overall and 7-4 in the WIAC while UW-Whitewater is 23-13 and 6-6 in the league.
Game 1
Both offenses got to work early in the first inning as UW-Whitewater's two runs were answered with an RBI-single by freshman
Tessa Britt. The Warhawks then pulled away with three runs in the fourth and fifth innings before a final run scored in the seventh. UW-Whitewater's Josie Hammen collected her 11
th win of the season and pitched a complete game, striking out six, walking one and surrendering seven hits.
Junior
Avery Lundblad (L, 4-5) pitched the first three innings and senior
Carlie Jo Brownlee tossed 2.1 innings of relief, striking out three and walking three while surrendering three hits and runs.
Game 2
The Pioneers scored first in the second game, starting with four runs scoring on two outs in the bottom of the second. A sacrifice fly by
Mia Savage drove in the first run followed by an RBI-single by senior Calli Stoms just before a double to left field by freshman
Delila Liston drove in two more runs.
In the top of the third, UW-Whitewater cut the Pioneers' advantage to three runs, but the narrowed margin would not last for long. Senior
Melissa Dietz led off the bottom of the third with a double down the right line that hit off the wall. Two batters later, junior
Rylee Broshous' sacrifice fly scored another run. Next, three runs scored on two separate throwing errors by the Warhawks. Leading 8-1, senior
Greta Volkening hit a blooper to left field to score the fifth run of the inning. UW-Whitewater made a pitching change and collected its second out, but junior
Allison Peters' two-run homer hit the top of the wall and bounced out of the park, extending the advantage to ten runs. Dietz stepped up next for her second at-bat of the inning and double again, this time to left center and soon scored when Britt went yard over right field.
Freshman
Nora Buske (W, 9-2) pitched a complete game, striking out five, walking four and allowing three hits and an earned run.
For the Warhawks pitching staff, only one of the13 runs scored went down as an earned run.
The Pioneers will return to action and the UW-Platteville Softball Complex on Saturday, May 3 when they host UW-Oshkosh at 1 and 3 p.m.
