Pioneers sweep Marian, win streak reaches six

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team swept Marian University on Wednesday and extended their winning streak to six games.

In the first game, the Pioneers defeated the Sabers, 6-1. The Pioneers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Right fielder Josh Moses got the scoring off for the Pioneers. He singled to right field, scoring shortstop Taylor Christopher. Left fielder Kyle Reinhart and first basemen Max Meitzler both a hit sac fly to push the score to 3-0. The Pioneers would tack one more on in the inning with a RBI single from third basemen Curtis Barsness. 

Marian scored in the top of the fourth, but the Pioneers answered with a Christopher RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. Center fielder James Pavlik extended the lead to 6-1 with an RBI infield single.

Starting pitcher Lucas Keller went six innings and collected his second win on the year. He allowed two hits and struck out five. He also gave up one unearned run. Riley Vandenberg came in to shut the door on Marian in the bottom of the seventh. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

In the second game, the Pioneers needed some late inning heroics to keep the win streak alive. In the second inning, Marian pushed two runs across. The Pioneers answered in the bottom of the second. Meitzler doubled to left field, scoring Moses. Barsness singled and advanced Meitzler to third. Catcher Connor Crotty hit a sac fly to left, scoring Meitzler and tying the game up at 2-2.

Marian grabbed the lead back in the top of the third. The score was 3-2 in the bottom seventh when Crotty walked with one out. Joey Skora pinch ran for him. In the next at bat, Pavlik drilled a 2 run walk off bomb to secure the sixth straight win for the Pioneers.

Caleb Kaufmann started the game, going five innings, striking out 5 and allowing 3 earned runs. Alex Curtis relieved Kaufmann in the top of the sixth. Cal Krafcheck pitched the last 1.1 innings and collected the win.

The Pioneers moved to 11-4 on the season, while Marian dropped to 5-9. UW-Platteville has a four game weekend series with Illinois Tech at Kendall Murray Field. On Saturday's doubleheader, the first pitch for game one is at 1 pm while the second game is set for 4 pm. The same goes for the Sunday double header.

By Parker Debroux, UW-Platteville Communications, 608.342.1194, pr@uwplatt.edu