RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team defeated UW-River Falls 15-7 in eight innings on Sunday, completing the previously suspended game at Perkins Stadium.
The April 11 game was halted due to weather in the bottom of the fifth inning where it was tied 5-5.
UW-Platteville had scored its first five runs off two home runs by senior
Melissa Dietz. After the Falcons rallied to tie the game at five back in April, the Pioneers got on the board first on Sunday, walking in two runs in the top of the sixth. However, UW-River Falls tied the game once again off a sac fly and RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth, which ultimately extended the game to eight innings.
In the eighth, the Pioneers loaded the bases with just one out and scored one run on each of the next three at-bats thanks to three straight errors by the Falcons. Freshman
Delila Liston then singled up the middle to bat in two more runs. Junior
Mia Savage concluded the scoring frenzy with a 2RBI-single to left center, giving the Pioneers a 15-7 advantage.
Dietz finished the game 3-for-3 with five RBI and three runs scored while also being walked three times.
Freshman
Nora Buske (W, 10-3) closed out the game in the circle after starting the game back in April. Buske struck out seven, walked seven and surrendered three earned runs on four hits.
With the win, the Pioneers improve to 23-14 overall and 9-4 in the conference, setting them up as the #2 seed in the WIAC Championship Tournament, hosted by #1 seed UW-Oshkosh. The #3-#6 seeds will face off on Friday with UW-Platteville taking on the winner of the #6/#3 game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The winner of the tournament receives the WIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
*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.
