Pioneers Double Up Finlandia 12-6 in WIAC Opener

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- A six-run 7th inning propelled the University of Wisconsin - Platteville baseball team to a 12-6 victory over Finlandia University in the first game of a doubleheader at Kendall Murray Field in Platteville on Friday.  The game was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams.  The Pioneers then swept the twinbill with an 8-2 victory in the late game.  With the sweep the Pioneers improved to 6-2 overall in the season and a 2-0 mark in the WIAC.  Finlandia fell to 0-8 (0-2 in the WIAC).  The two teams began the second game of the scheduled doubleheader, making it to the bottom of the 8th inning with Platteville holding an 8-2 lead before darkness forced a suspension of the action.  The game was completed Saturday ahead of a second weekend scheduled doubleheader.

Final / Game 1

Windy conditions, at times gusting up to 40mph, created nightmares for fielders and led to a combined nine errors along with a handful of wind-aided base hits.  Errors on the Pioneer infield in the second inning directly led to Finlandia scoring its first run in the past 16 innings.  Tied 0-0 in the third, Lion 2B Jordan D'Angelo reached first after SS Hunter Hopkins (Fr./Winnegabor, Ill.) was unable to corral his grounder.  D'Angelo promptly stole second and then came around to score two batters later on a throwing error by 3B Mitchell McLaughlin (Fr./Amboy, Ill.).  Despite the first three hitters in the inning reaching base for Finlandia, they were only able to push across the one run against reliever Rich Jesse Jr. (Jr./Lockport, Ill.).

After failing to score in the first two innings, the Pioneer bats put up runs in the next three frames; briefly taking the lead with two runs in the third, tying the game at three with a run in the fourth, and then taking the lead for good thanks to a three-run fifth.  Platteville cost themselves an opportunity to score more runs in the fifth when Logan Kozak (Sr./Waukesha, Wis.) was picked off second base mere moments before Jason Adams (So./Burlington, Wis.) smashed a triple that would have scored him.  Careless baserunning was an unfortunate theme with the Pioneers running into three outs on the basepaths.

"It wasn't pretty baseball today," admitted Platteville Head Coach Chad Harris, "but we were able to work some good at-bats to get their pitchers' pitch counts up which enabled us to get in their bullpen."

That patience at the plate led to Lions' pitching issuing 12 walks and played a big role for the Pioneers in the seventh inning. Holding on to a tenuous 6-4 advantage, six of the first seven Pioneer batters reached base via a hit with three more reaching after coaxing walks out of reliever Alex Tallman.  When the dust settled on the frame, Platteville had sent 11 batters up, plated six runs on five hits and found themselves with a 12-4 advantage.

Jesse Jr. tossed four innings in relief to pick up his first victory of the season.  Jesse entered the game in the third got stronger the farther he went along, notching three strikeouts in the fifth before working a 1-2-3 sixth to finish his afternoon.  A trio of Pioneer batters:  Adams, Wyatt Molitor (Fr./Reedsburg, Wis.), and Ross Krist (Jr./Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) collected three hits in the game.  Krist registered a perfect day at the plate going 3-3, drawing a walk on a fourth at bat, scoring twice, and knocking in two.

FINAL / Game 2

Following the six error outing in Game 1, the Platteville defense tightened up and played flawless defense in Game 2.  In particular, the Pioneer outfield of LF Jason Adams, CF Jonny Kelso, and RF Ross Krist each made some sensational plays with both their gloves and their arms to squash any potential Lion rallies.  Krist in particular, seemed to be the only outfielder for either team to figure out how to consistently play the gusting winds that prevailed throughout the afternoon.

"Our outfield is unquestionably one of the best in the conference," proclaimed Harris, "all three this weekend made great plays and even though we know what they are capable of, we are still in awe of some of the plays they make."

Nate Jennings (Jr./Arena, Wis.) entered in the seventh and pitched a spotless three innings of relief to earn his third win.  It's the fourth time in the young season that Jennings has been called upon to throw multiple innings to close out a game for the Pioneers.  He has three wins and one save on those occasions.

"Nate Jennings loves his role" Coach Harris beamed.  "Some guys want to be starters.  Nate wants to come in and clean up the mess.  You have to have guys with his mentality to be successful.  He's pounding the zone in tough situations and the results speak for themselves."

Adams led the Pioneer offense in Game 2 with four base hits.  Grant Mullins (Fr./Greenville, Wis.) went 3-4 with two runs and three RBI from the seven spot in the order.

The game, started on Friday, was suspended after the top of the eighth inning due to darkness.  Kendall Murray Field does not have lights.  When play continued on Saturday, the Pioneers loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but were unable to push any runs across.  Jennings, who pitched his first two innings of relief on Friday evening, returned Saturday to pitch a scoreless ninth and secure the win.