Pioneer Baseball earns three more wins, one loss in Ft. Myers

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team ended their trip to Ft. Myers, Florida for the Gene Cusic Classic on a high note, earning three more wins and one loss to put them at 8-3 overall on the season.

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Pioneer Baseball earns three more wins, one loss in Ft. Myers
March 22, 2016

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team ended their trip to Ft. Myers, Florida for the Gene Cusic Classic on a high note, earning three more wins and one loss to put them at 8-3 overall on the season.

To finish out the trip, the Pioneers defeated Purchase State University of New York on Tuesday, Western Connecticut State University on Wednesday, Millikin University on Thursday and fell to the College of Wooster on Friday.

After going up by four after the first inning, the Pioneers continued their offensive and defensive success, holding Purchase State to only two runs in the entire game and logging another big inning in the bottom of the seventh, scoring six runs.

The Pioneers recorded 11 hits in the game, including a big performance by senior Evan Greco, who hit a homerun in the seventh and crossed the plate three times throughout the game to help propel the Pioneers to the 12-2 victory.

On Wednesday, the Pioneers faced Western Connecticut State University, defeating them 15-11. Junior Colin DeBoer had the stand-out performance of the game, scoring three runs and earning five hits and three RBIs. In total, the Pioneers recorded 18 hits as a team.

Next up to take on the Pioneers was Millikin, the Pioneers defeating them 16-5 in eight innings. Greco and junior Jonny Frese both hit homeruns and recorded three RBIs apiece in the win. As batters, the Pioneers logged 16 hits and only five strikeouts against the Big Blue.

In the final game of the week, the Pioneers fell to Wooster 9-8 in extra innings, handing them just their third loss of the season.

Heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, Wooster was leading the Pioneers 8-2, but a huge comeback forced the game into extra innings when the Pioneers scored six runs to tie the game 8-8. With the bases loaded, sophomore Brennan Kearney hit a single through the right side to bring in one run, but the Pioneers weren't finished there. Senior Todd Wienkes stepped up to the plate, hitting a pop fly to right field that was caught, but junior James Pavlik tagged up and crossed the plate to earn the Pioneers' second run of the inning. The bases loaded again, DeBoer was walked by the Wooster pitcher, bringing in another Pioneer for the third run. In a final last chance effort, Greco stepped up to the plate with the bases still loaded and hit a double down the left field line that brought in three runs to force the game into extra innings.

In the top of the tenth, Wooster scored just one run, but it was the only one they needed, as the Pioneers struck out, flied out and grounded out in the bottom of the tenth to give Wooster the 9-8 victory.

The Pioneers return to action on Tuesday, March 29 at Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin at 1 p.m.

Written by: Carly Willman, University Information and Communications, 608.342.1194, willmanc@uwplatt.edu