UW-Platteville Takes Two from UW-Oshkosh

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville swept a doubleheader from UW-Oshkosh on Saturday at Kendall Murray Field, 11-1 and 8-2.

It was a solid all-around performance by the Pioneers in the twinbill, who improve to 8-25 overall and 4-14 in the WIAC. The Titans, who were swept for the first time on the season, were held in check at the plate by UW-Platteville starting pitchers Bill Oppriecht in game one and Adam Theis in game two as they fall to 13-20 overall and 9-13 in the WIAC.

In game one, after falling behind 1-0 in the top half of the third, UW-Platteville scored seven unanswered runs as 13 batters came to the plate in the inning. In the inning, the Pioneers pounded out seven hits - two from Kevin Fessler, who was a late addition to the starting lineup. The sophomore from Wauconda, Illinois began his first of two at bats in the inning, having to change his helmet after the first pitch. The change brought forth some fortune to Fessler, who was making his first career start at first base. He delivered a pair of singles, including a two out, two-RBI single that put UW-Platteville ahead 6-1 and started the inning with the first hit of the afternoon for the Pioneers.

After giving up three hits and an unearned run in the first three innings, the Pioneers gave a six-run cushion to Pioneer starter Bill Oppriecht, who only gave up one hit in the final three innings for the win. The Seneca, Wisconsin native had complete control in the contest, striking out a season-high 10 batters in his first complete game of the season. With the win, he raised his record to 3-5.

Oppriecht struck out five of the last eight batters he faced to hold the Titans off the scoreboard. UW-Oshkosh starter Luke Westphal, who drops to 3-6, allowed 13 hits, 11 runs - six earned and struck out seven for the Titans, including the side in the second inning. Offensively for UW-Platteville, eight of the nine Pioneers had a hit and scored a run in the win.

With a 7-1 lead, the Pioneers added to their lead with two more in the fourth to stretch the lead to 9-1. In the inning, Cody Luther reached on a bunt single. After stealing second, Levi Ney hit a triple to the gap in right-center field for the first run of the inning. The second run came when the next batter - Trevor Kattre recorded a sacrifice fly to put UW-Platteville ahead by a 9-1 margin.

After a scoreless fifth inning, UW-Platteville picked up two more in the sixth as the tandem of Ney and Kattre sparked the Pioneers. Ney started the inning with a single to center field; he came around to score on a Kattre triple to put the Pioneers ahead 10-1. Next, Topher Scheeler recorded an infield single to plate Kattre to give the Pioneers a 10-run lead.

In the nightcap, each team had baserunners in the first five innings but no runs were scored until the Pioneers' Cody Luther, who hit two triples, scored from third on a ground out by Levi Ney for the 1-0 lead in the sixth inning. The Titans scored two unearned runs in the top of the seventh for a brief 2-1 lead.

However, the Pioneers failed to concede and took advantage of four walks, including two with the bases loaded in the seventh off a UW-Oshkosh reliever in its half of the seventh. The Pioneers would plate four runs on just one hit. The offense plated two more runs in the eighth on a two-RBI double by Trevor Kattre stretched the lead to 8-2.

UW-Platteville starting pitcher Adam Theis picked up his second complete game of the season, scattering nine hits, two unearned runs and struck out nine for the win to raise his record to 2-6. UW-Oshkosh reliever Matt Wells was the loser after a brief 2/3 inning stint did not give up a hit but he did surrender five walks for three Pioneer runs to fall to 2-3.

The two teams will wrap up the weekend series on Sunday with a noon doubleheader at Kendall Murray Field. Between the two games, UW-Platteville will recognize its seven seniors - Charlie Beckman, Trevor Kattre, Brad Kerkman, Cody Luther, Levi Ney, Grant Oldenburg and Nate Poelmann.