Pioneers Split Doubleheader with UW-Stout
In a crucial WIAC doubleheader, both the University of Wisconsin-Stout and University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball teams rallied from deficits to split a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Kendall Murray Field in Platteville.
Facing a 4-2 deficit in the top of the seventh, UW-Stout scored four times in the seventh, six more in the eighth and another run in the ninth en route to a 13-5 win in game one. The comeback kids in the second game were UW-Platteville, who scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to rally from a 7-5 deficit for an 8-7 win. The doubleheader split improves the host Pioneers to 4-16 and 1-5 in the WIAC; whereas UW-Stout improves to 10-8 and 2-4 in the WIAC.
In game one hit, the Blue Devils pounded out a season-high 17 hits on three different UW-Platteville pitchers. The entire lineup had a hit including Santiago Morales and Jon Schoch each had three hits and four others had two hits to lead the attack. Third baseman Chris Sill drove in a team-best three runs for UW-Stout.
The Pioneers had eight hits in the loss, including two each from Steve Wolke and Topher Scheeler. Wolke also had two RBI in the defeat for UW-Platteville.
UW-Stout starting pitcher Cody Hedeen went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out six to even his record to 2-2. Pioneers' starter Bill Oppriecht pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and striking out five to fall to 1-4.
In the nightcap, UW-Platteville scored an unearned run in the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. UW-Stout came back with four runs in the top of the second, two of which came in on a two-RBI triple by Morales. The Pioneers got one of the runs when Jon Lewerke hit his second home run of the double header to cut the deficit to 4-2. They continued to cut into the third after a Levi Ney triple to the gap in right center to start the inning. He came in on a Cody Luther RBI groundout to trim the deficit to 4-3. Then, they tied it in the sixth. Topher Scheeler started the inning with an infield single, and then he moved to second when Steve Wolke walked. Both moved up 90 feet when Lewerke advanced them a base on a sacrifice bunt. Then, Charlie Beckman brought in Scheeler from third on a RBI ground out to third.
Two unearned runs in the seventh and an unearned run in the ninth put the visitors up by a 7-4 margin. However, the Pioneers failed to concede with veteran head coach Eric Frese telling his guys, "just give us a chance" as they approached the plate.
To start the inning, Zach Demmon and Tyler Jacobson each reached on a Blue Devils' error at third base to put runners on first and second. A single by Ney for his fifth hit of the game loaded the bases for Cody Luther. The senior center fielder answered his coach's request with a single to left field, scoring Jacobson and pinchrunner Brady Williams to tie the game at 7 and none out. Then, another senior, Trevor Kattre delivered a double to the fence in the left field to plate Ney from the third for the game-winning run.
Pioneer starting pitcher Shane Murphy, who was the starter, went eight innings and struck out six, was not involved in the decision. Reliever Brad Kerkman pitched the ninth, giving up an unearned run for his first win of the season.
For UW-Stout, starter Tyler Hamann pitched seven innings and fanned three in a no decision. Reliever John Ewald was the losing pitcher, giving up four hits, three runs - just one earned and struck out one to fall to 0-1.
The two teams will wrap up the WIAC four-game series on Friday at noon at Kendall Murray Field.
