Pioneer Baseball - 2002 Season Review
posted 5/22/02
Rivera is all-region
UW-Platteville's record-breaking shortstop Emmanuel Rivera earned third team all-Midwest Region baseball honors.
Rivera is a junior from Arroyo, Puerto Rico, who transferred from Muscatine (Iowa) Junior College prior to the 2001-02 school year.
He set a new Pioneer record with 59 hits this season and is second in the UWP charts with four triples and 15 stolen bases. Overall, he hit .396 to rank fifth in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He played all 38 games at shortstop, recording 118 assists and 23 double plays. Rivera hit safely in 35 of the 38 games and had three hits in six of the contests.
Next spring, Rivera will lead a Pioneer team next spring that is coming off its most wins since 1993. The Pioneers finished 17-21 under first-year coach Jamie Sailors. Complete list of all-America, all-region selections.
posted 5/14/02
Three Pioneers are all-WIAC
Three UW-Platteville baseball players earned all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recognition, the league announced Tuesday.
Third baseman Merrill Brunson and shortstop Emmanuel Rivera earned first-team honors, and outfielder Ryan Von Haden was an honorable mention selection.
Brunson (Sr., Richland Center) ranked third in the WIAC in runs scored with 55 and set a new Pioneer record with 10 home runs. For the year, he hit .338 and finished seventh in the league in slugging percentage at .648. Brunson also earned all-conference honors in 1998 and last week was an academic all-district selection.
Rivera (Jr., Arroyo, Puerto Rico/Guamani) finished in the WIAC top five in multiple categories, including fifth in batting average .396, second in stolen bases, 15, second in triples, 4, and third in fielding assists, 113. The slick-fielding Rivera turned 23 double plays during the his first year with the Pioneers. He had at least one hit in all but three contests this season and set a new Pioner record with 59 hits.
Von Haden (So., Boscobel) also had an immediate impact in his first year at UW-Platteville. He was second in the league in RBIs with 51--a UWP record-- and hit .386, ranking seventh in the WIAC in batting. Von Haden also pitched for the Pioneers, compiling a 3-5 record with a 3.84 ERA.
The Pioneers were 17-21 under first-year coach Jamie Sailors, recording their most victories since going 20-8 in 1993.
The complete team can be found at the WIAC site.
posted 5/9/02
Brunson is academic all-district
UW-Platteville baseball player Merrill Brunson concluded his (second) standout career by being named to the Verizon Academic All-District V team.
Brunson, a senior third baseman from Richland Center, set school records with 10 home runs and 55 runs scored this season. The latter mark led the entire Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He hit .338 and batted in 29 runs.
Brunson has a 3.46 grade-point average, majoring in elementary education.
He is one of the most decorated student-athletes in UWP history. He returned to school and the baseball program this year after playing professional basketball in England. Brunson was a two-time NCAA III basketball all-American and led the Pioneers to two national championships. He earned the NABC national basketball player of the year award after leading UW-Platteville to the NCAA III championship in 1998-99. He was also the WIAC's Scholar-Athlete in basketball following the 1999-2000 season.
Brunson was an all-region baseball pick in 1998, despite not having any spring training because of basketball's extended post-season success. Five days after the 1998 national championship, he hit a home run against Beloit College on the first strike he saw.
He started this season as an outfielder, then moved to third base to solidify that position. He hit three home runs in a doubleheader against UW-Superior April 14 and led the Pioneers to a 17-21 mark.
posted 5/5/02
Pioneers end with split
UW-Platteville finished its baseball season with a split at UW-Oshkosh Sunday, beating the Titans 8-2 in the opener but losing 8-1 in the nightcap.
First-year coach Jamie Sailors led the Pioneers to a 17-21 overall mark and 10-17 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Pioneers were seventh in the WIAC but just two games behind the Titans for the fourth and final spot in the conference playoffs.
Merrill Brunson smashed his school-record 10th home run in the third, and Emmanuel Rivera drilled a three-run triple in the fourth inning to take a 7-1 lead in the opener. The Pioneers recorded 11 hits, with two each by Brunson, Rivera, Ryan Von Haden and Marc Movrich.
Mike Finnegan went the distance on the mound, yielding 11 hits but only two runs. The Pioneers' ace improved to 5-4 on the year with his third complete game.
Finnegan's defense was sparkling behind him, turning inning-ending double plays in the first, second, sixth and ninth innings. The Pioneers recorded 19 assists and just one error.
UW-Oshkosh held UWP to six hits--all singles--in the finale. The Titans scored three in the first to lead from start to finish. Adam Leonhard singled, stole second and scored on Kurt Tardy's single in the Pioneer second.
posted 5/4/02
Pioneers split with Titans
UW-Platteville overcame a 4-1 deficit to beat UW-Oshkosh 5-4 in WIAC baseball action Saturday. The host Titans won the second game 6-3.
Chris Olson, Ryan Von Haden and Drew Holman all singled in the eighth inning to score Olson and break the 4-4 tie. Bailey Brueggen and Merrill Brunson hit RBI singles in the sixth and seventh inning, respectively.
Matt Hoff went the distance on the mound, allowing just three earned runs and striking out five.
The Titans came back to score four in the second inning of game two and went on to win 6-3. Emmanuel Rivra had two hits for the Pioneers, while Dusty Jacobson came on to pitch five innings of three-hit, one-run ball.
The Pioneers are now 16-20 overall and 9-16 in the WIAC. The Titans are 16-17, 11-14. The same two teams meet again Sunday in a doubleheader.
posted 5/1/02
Pioneers fall twice
Despite a strong pitching performance by UW-Platteville's Josh Conley in the second game, 13th-ranked UW-Whitewater beat visiting UW-Platteville 12-7 and 3-1 in a baseball doubleheader Wednesday.
The hosts improved to 27-6 overall and 17-4 in the WIAC, while the Pioneers fell to 15-19, 8-15.
Ryan Von Haden led the UWP offensive charge with four hits on the day, including three in the second game. Emmanuel Rivera scored the lone UWP run in game two in the eighth inning. Conley had an impressive pitching performance, going the distance and holding the Warhawks to the three runs on six hits. The Warhawks scored single runs in the first, third and seventh.
UWW jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings in the opener and never trailed. Merrill Brunson, who singled and walked twice, scored three runs to pace the Pioneers.
The Pioneers close their season with doubleheaders at UW-Oshkosh Saturday and Sunday.
posted 4/30/02
Pioneers win at Loras
UW-Platteville used home runs by Merrill Brunson and Ryan Von Haden to grab an early lead and a six-run seventh inning to put away a 10-5 baseball victory at Loras College Tuesday.
The Pioneers improved to 15-17 overall, while the Duhawks fell to 14-19.
Brunson and Von Haden each homered for the second day in a row. Brunson led off the game with his school-record ninth HR, while Von Haden hit his seventh (second-best in Pioneer history) in the third. Chris Olson also had an RBI single in the third.
Dusty Jacobson, in his first start, held a 4-2 lead until the sixth, when the Duhawks' Tom Andrews hit a three-run shot for a 5-4 Loras advantage. The Pioneers quickly answered in the seventh with six runs on five hits. Olson hit an RBI single, Von Haden walked in a run, Drew Holman hit a big two-run double, Bailey Brueggen bunted for a run-scoring single, and Kurt Tardy bunted home the 10th Pioneer run of the night.
Paul Kane relieved Jacobson in the bottom of the seventh, and Calem Oleskow pitched the ninth to preserve the win. Jacobson scattered 10 hits and struck out three to earn his first victory of the season.
The Pioneers play two games at 13th-ranked UW-Whitewater Wednesday then close the regular season with doubleheaders at UW-Oshkosh Saturday and Sunday.
posted 4/29/02
Brunson, Von Haden break records in win
Brunson Von Haden
Behind record-setting days by Merrill Brunson and Ryan Von Haden, the UW-Platteville baseball team beat UW-River Falls 13-6 to gain a split of their doubleheader Monday. The host Falcons won the opener 7-5.
Brunson cracked his school-record eighth home run to key a five-run seventh inning, and Von Haden hit two home runs, raising his runs batted in (RBI) total to a Pioneer-record 44.
Those pair keyed a 14-hit attack in game two. Von Haden also starred on the mound, pitching all nine innings to earn his third win against four losses. Von Haden homered in the first and again in the fifth inning. Both were two-run shots, with the second pushing him past the school RBI record of 41 set by Jeff Swalve in 1995 and matched by Wes Larsen in 2000. Von Haden now has six home runs, which is tied for third all-time.
Brunson came back to school this year after playing professional basketball in England. The former all-academic and all-region selection surpassed the seven home runs hit by Keith Ringleberg in 1985. Brunson is also the new single-season leader in runs scored with 45, surpassing the 40 Matt Northey scored in 1995.
Casey Schultz added two hits in the second game, including a two-run single. Dave Kerrigan and Emmanuel Rivera each had two hits in the opener, with Rivera moving within five hits of Brian Potter's school-record 54.
UWP is now 14-17 overall and 8-13 in the WIAC, while the Falcons are now 12-22, 9-13 in their final year of baseball.
The Pioneers continue their busy schedule Tuesday with a single nine-inning game at Loras, beginning at 5 p.m. They play a pair of nine-inning games at UW-Whitewater Wednesday and four at UW-Oshkosh Saturday and Sunday to close the regular season.
posted 4/28/02
Pioneers drop doubleheader
The UW-Platteville baseball team lost 10-9 and 8-2 to UW-River Falls Sunday. The teams will play another twinbill Monday.
posted 4/26/02
Baseball games moved
The UW-Platteville baseball games vs. UW-River Falls have been moved back to Sunday and Monday because of bad weather forecasted Saturday for River Falls.
posted 4/24/02
Pioneers beat UWSP for first time since 1996
UW-Platteville beat UW-Stevens Point for the first time since 1996 with an 11-5 baseball victory Wednesday, but more importantly, the Pioneers kept themselves in the WIAC playoff hunt.
The Pioneers, who dropped the first game 4-1, are 13-14 overall and 7-10 in the WIAC. The top four teams make the conference playoffs, and the Pioneers are sitting just 1.5 games out of the fourth spot with 10 games to play.
UW-Platteville exploded for four runs on five hits, including suicide squeeze singles by Bailey Brueggen and Ray Lauersdorf, in the first inning. The Pioneers added single runs in the second, when Ryan Von Haden singled home Merrill Brunson, and in the fourth when Emmanual Rivera tripled home Dave Kerrigan. After UWSP scored in the top of the fifth, the Pioneers put the game away with three in the bottom of the inning.
Mike Finnegan went the distance for the Pioneers, scattering 12 hits. The Pioneers' stopper recorded the school's first win vs. the 19th-ranked Pointers since 1996, snapping a 15-game losing streak vs. UWSP.
posted 4/22/02
Pioneers stranded in La Crosse
UW-Platteville stranded 13 runners on base and lost 4-2 in the first game of a baseball doubleheader Monday at UW-La Crosse. The host Eagles also won the nightcap, 18-4.
The Pioneers fell to 12-13 overall and 6-9 in the WIAC, while the Eagles improved to 15-11, 11-5.
Ryan Von Haden got the Pioneers off to a quick start in game one. He blasted a two-run home run in the first inning for his fourth homer of the year. However, he was the last Pioneer to cross the plate in the game. The Pioneers had base runners in seven of the next eight innings, but could not push across a run. Von Haden, Drew Holman and Dave Kerrigan each had two hits for UWP. Matt Hoff struck out eight in going the distance on the mound.
The Eagles pounded out 21 hits in the second game, while the Pioneers had 11. Kerrigan and Holman each had two more hits, while Merrill Brunson and Chris Olson added two apiece.
The Pioneers close out their home season Wednesday vs. UW-Stevens Point. The league doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. at Kendall Murray Field.
posted 4/22/02
Pioneers to play today
Sunday's doubleheader at UW-La Crosse was postponed because of snow and will be made up Monday at approximately 1:30 in La Crosse.
posted 4/20/02
Pioneers stunned at UWL
UW-La Crosse rallied for 10 runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, then beat UW-Platteville in the 11th by a 13-12 score to complete an improbable doubleheader sweep Saturday.
The host Eagles won the first game 11-5. UWL is now 13-11 overall and 9-5 in the WIAC, while the Pioneers are 12-11, 6-7. The same two teams meet again Sunday in La Crosse, weather permitting.
The Pioneers seemingly had a split sewn up Saturday. They pounded Eagle pitchers for 12 runs, including three each by Bailey Brueggen and Merrill Brunson and a pair apiece by Emmanuel Rivera, Ryan Von Haden, Chris Olson and Adam Leonhard. They took the 12-2 lead into the ninth, and led 12-3 with two outs when the next nine Eagles reached safely against three Pioneer pitchers. Chester Janke's three-run home run tied the score, and Mike Smith's two-out, bases-loaded single in the 11th inning won the game.
In the opener, the two teams combined for six home runs. Brunson hit his sixth of the year for the Pioneers, while Olson cleared the fence for the first time this year. Janke had two of UWL's four home runs.
posted 4/17/02
Pioneers fall in extra inning
Game one between UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater was delayed nearly 15 minutes in the eighth while the umpires and coaching staffs tried to figure out a seldom-used substitution rule that would allow Warhawk pitcher Brady Endl to bat in a spot other than the designated hitter's role.
Endl made the wait even more painful for the Pioneers and showed why the Warhawks tried so hard to make the switch. He led off the 10th inning and hammered a pitch over the left-field fence, breaking a 1-1 tie in a game the Warhawks would hold on to win 3-1. League-leading UWW (19-5, 9-3) also won the second contest 8-2.
The Pioneers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a Drew Holman single and three Endl walks. Pioneer pitcher Matt Hoff held the Warhawks' offense, which had been averaging nine runs per game, scoreless until the eighth. Hoff then had to endure that long wait which, in baseball terms, essentially amounted to a double switch with the designated hitter's and pitcher's spot. (If you must know, e-mail me.) D. J. Cartledge tripled with two outs to score Travis Van Zile and tie the game at 1-1. Mike Finnegan came on in relief to retire Josh Hearn on a groundout to Emmanuel Rivera.
Endl homered to lead off the 10th inning, and Cartledge eventually drew a bases-loaded walk off Brian Moloney for the 3-1 score. Rivera led off the Pioneers' 10th with a walk, but Endl retired the next three batters to end the game.
Jason Ondricka belted a three-run home run to stake UWW to a 3-0 lead in the second inning of game two. The Warhawks added two more in the third, but the Pioneers answered with a pair of runs in their third. Ryan Von Haden hit a hot smash to the Warhawk second baseman, who couldn't handle the ball, and both Marc Movrich and Merrill Brunson came in to score. Those were the only runs the Pioneers would score, however, as they fell to 12-9 overall, 6-5 in the WIAC. Bailey Brueggen and Adam Leonhard each had two hits for the Pioneers.
UW-Platteville plays four games at UW-La Crosse Saturday and Sunday then plays host to UW-Stevens Point in the final home doubleheader on Wednesday, April 24, at 1 p.m.
posted 4/14/02
Pioneers complete four-game sweep
UW-Platteville completed a four-game baseball sweep of UW-Superior Sunday, winning 12-8 and 6-3.
The surging Pioneers moved to 12-7 overall and 6-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference race with a home doubleheader against powerhouse UW-Whitewater looming Wednesday. The Warhawks are tied with UW-Stevens Point atop the WIAC at 7-3 with the Pioneers one-half game behind. First pitch in the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. at Kendall Murray Field.
It took the Pioneers all of two pitches to take a lead against UW-Superior Sunday. The home WIAC teams bat first in the final two games of the four-game series, and the Pioneers' Merrill Brunson led off with a home run to deep right center field. The Pioneers tacked on two more runs in the first on Bailey Brueggen's two-run single. Brunson went deep again the fourth inning, hitting a two-run shot to make the score 6-1.
That cushion was more than enough for Cain Cooper, who pitched seven innings, allowing just three runs. The Yellowjackets rallied with a pair of home runs in the eighth, cutting the lead to 9-7, but closer Brian Moloney shut the door. The Pioneers added two more runs in the ninth for insurance and the final 12-8 score.
UW-Superior finally took its first lead of the 36 weekend innings with a 3-2 in the fourth inning of the second game. Adam Leonhard, who hit a home run in the second inning, hit an RBI single in the fifth to tie the score. Brunson then finished his day the way he started it with a towering home run in the eighth inning to put the Pioneers in front 4-3. Three UWS errors led to two more runs in the ninth, which also featured a Kurt Tardy bases-loaded single to score a run. Moloney pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two batters, to preserve the win and earn his third save of the weekend. Craig West pitched eight strong innings, scattering nine hits without walking a batter. West improved to 3-1 on the year, as did Cooper in the first game.
posted 4/13/02
Pioneers sweep Yellowjackets
The UW-Platteville baseball team made quick work of its doubleheader sweep of UW-Superior Saturday, beating the visiting Yellowjackets 7-5 and 5-0 in four hours and 30 minutes.
The two teams will meet again Sunday in another doubleheader beginning at noon. The Pioneers will bring in a 10-7, 4-3 WIAC record. The Yellowjackets, who were swept by UW-La Crosse Wednesday by the same 7-5 and 5-0 scores, are 3-12 overall and 0-8 in the WIAC.
The Pioneers scored four runs in the first and two more in the second in the opener. Merrill Brunson doubled and scored in each inning, with Emmanuel Rivera hitting him home each time. Matt Hoff also ripped an RBI double in the first inning.
The offensive outburst was enough cushion for Mike Finnegan, who pitched seven innings. He allowed four runs overall but just one earned run in raising his record to 3-1. Chris Wilkins pitched the eighth and Brian Moloney recorded the save in the ninth inning.
In the nightcap, Ryan Von Haden threw just 85 pitches in tossing the nine-inning shutout. He scattered five hits and worked out of his only jam of the day in fine fashion. Facing a the bases loaded and no-out situation in the seventh inning, Von Haden induced a 1-2-3 double-play ball and then a flyout to end the threat.
Brad Busler had three hits, including a two-out double in the first inning. Rivera had two more hits, giving him five for the day, while Bailey Brueggen, Drew Holman and Dave Kerrigan also recorded two hits in the second game.
posted 4/10/02
Pioneers fall in 12 innings
UW-Stevens Point, ranked 25th in NCAA Division III, edged UW-Platteville 5-4 in 12 innings to complete a sweep of a WIAC baseball doubleheader Wednesday.
The host Pointers also took the first game, 13-0. UWSP improved to 12-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play, while the Pioneers fell to 8-7, 2-3.
The Pointers' Randy Reed singled, stole second and scored on pinch-hitter Matt Polomis's two-out single in the 12th for the game-winner.
Emmanuel Rivera led the Pioneers with three hits in the nightcap, including a single in the first. He and Merrill Brunson, who had walked, scored to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. The game was tied 3-3 after two innings, and both teams added single runs in the seventh. Rivera singled home Dave Kerrigan for the Pioneers' fourth run. Matt Hoff went nine innings on the mound for UWP, allowing just three earned runs while striking out eight. Chris Wilkins pitched a scoreless 10th, and Brian Moloney threw the 11th and 12th.
In the opener, Pointers banged out 17 hits and scored 13 times to end the game via the 12-run rule.
The Pioneers play at home Saturday and Sunday vs. UW-Superior. Both conference doubleheaders begin at noon. The Yellowjackets lost a pair of close games at UW-La Crosse Wednesday, 5-0 and 7-5.
posted 4/7/02
Pioneers pound Stout
UW-Platteville used a 10-run fifth inning to overtake visiting UW-Stout and post a 15-11 baseball victory Sunday.
The scheduled second game was called off because of the rain and a wet Kendall Murray Field.
Stout sought to damper the Pioneers' spirit right off the bat, as the Blue Devils raced to a 5-0 lead after one and one-half innings. The Pioneers, however, added two runs in the second and two more in the third on Merrill Brunson's home run (pictured left). Marc Movrich's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning scored Matt Hoff to tie the score at 5-5.
The Pioneers took the lead for good with the 10 runs in the fifth. The scoring started with Ryan Von Haden's two-run single and ended with his two-run home run. Emmaunel Rivera doubled twice in that inning, and Bailey Brueggen smacked an RBI double as well.
Pioneer starter Cain Cooper (right) settled down after the rocky start and threw four scoreless innings to earn the win. Stout rallied for four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth but could not come close to the 15 runs the Pioneers had already scored.
Rivera, Von Haden and Brueggen all finished with 3x5 days for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers play a doubleheader at UW-Stevens Point Wednesday, then return home to face UW-Superior for four more games next weekend. The Pioneers and Yellowjackets meet in twinbills Saturday and Sunday, starting at noon each day.
posted 4/6/02
Pioneers split with Stout
The UW-Platteville baseball team split its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with UW-Stout Saturday, winning the opener 5-3 and losing the nightcap 6-3.
The Pioneers, 7-5 overall, face the Blue Devils, 6-5, again Sunday at noon at Kendall Murray Field.
Mike Finnegan went the distance in the opener, scattering 11 hits and working out of tough jams in the eighth (bases loaded) and ninth (two on).
Ryan Von Haden staked Finnegan to a 2-0 lead with a home run in first inning to score Merrill Brunson, who had walked. Brunson walked three times and scored all three times on base. Emmanuel Rivera, Chris Olson and Brad Busler each had two hits, with Busler and Olson hitting doubles.
UW-Stout's Adam Acker's two-run triple in the eighth inning broke a 3-3 tie in the second game. Justin Biever also hit a two-run HR in the second for the Blue Devils.
Rivera had two hits, including a double, for the Pioneers while Brunson scored twice, including one on a steal of home.
posted 4/2/02
Von Haden earns WIAC honors
UW-Platteville outfielder Ryan Von Haden earned Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball honors.
Von Haden, a sophomore from Boscobel, hit .611 (11-for-18) with 7 RBIs in five games last week during the Pioneers' spring trip to Fort Myers, Fla. He had three hits in a game twice and two hits in a game a pair of games. Von Haden had at least 2 RBIs in three of the five games. Von Haden also threw three perfect innings in relief to earn the win in a 10-8 comeback victory over MacMurray (Ill.).
He followed up last week's performance with a grand-slam home run Monday at Knox College. He leads the WIAC in batting average (.625), slugging percentage (.875) and RBIs (20).
Games Rescheduled
The Pioneers' baseball games scheduled for Loras Wednesday have been postponed because of wet fields. The contest will now be a single game on April 30 at 5 p.m.
posted 4/2/02
Pioneers get hot in Illinois
The UW-Platteville baseball team made its two-hour trip south worthwhile Monday, and not just because the temperature was a balmy 63 degrees in Galesburg, Ill.
The Pioneers swept Knox College 10-4 and 13-1 in ideal baseball weather, while their own home field received a blanket of snow back in Platteville.
The Pioneers banged out a season-high 18 hits in the second game, including three each by Merrill Brunson, Ryan Von Haden, Marc Movrich and Kurt Tardy. Getting two hits apiece were Emmanuel Rivera, Ray Lauersdorf and Dave Kerrigan.
Craig West was staked to a 7-0 lead before he took the mound. He then tossed a two-hitter over six innings, while Andy Kulinski threw in the seventh.
In the opener, the Pioneers overcame an early 4-1 deficit with four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Chris Olson and Rivera each had a pair of hits, while Von Haden cracked a home run.
UWP improved to 6-4 with the victories, while the Prairie Fire slipped to 0-14.
The Pioneers are scheduled to play at Loras twice on Wednesday at 3 p.m., then open their home season Saturday at Sunday with doubleheaders against UW-Stout, beginning at noon.
posted 4/1/02
4-4 Pioneers ready for big week
The UW-Platteville baseball team readied itself for a busy week of play by finishing off its Florida trip with a 10-8 victory over MacMurray Friday.
The Pioneers, who ended their southern trip 4-4, are scheduled to play eight games this week. First-year coach Jamie Sailors has his team playing doubleheaders at Knox College Monday at 1 p.m. and at Loras Wednesday at 3 p.m. The Pioneers open their home schedule--and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play--Saturday and Sunday vs. UW-Stout. Both WIAC nine-inning doubleheaders start at noon at Kendall Murray Field.
The Pioneers rallied with four runs in the seventh inning to defeat MacMurry Friday. Four relief pitchers combined to throw five and one-third innings of hitless ball. Ryan Von Haden pitched the final three innings with walks and two Ks to earn the win on the mound. Merrill Brunson, Emmanual Rivera, Dave Kerrigan and Ray Lauersdorf each contributed two hits to the Pioneers' 11-hit attack. Both Burnson and Lauersdorf ripped doubles.
Because of the nature of Wisconsin's weather during April, Pioneer fans are encouraged to visit the official web site at www.uwplatt.edu to keep up-to-date on postponed contests and their makeup dates.
posted 3/28/02
Pioneers fall to Concordia-Moorhead
Concordia-Moorhead defeated UW-Platteville 12-3 in baseball action Thursday in Ft. Myers, Fla.
The Cobbers banged out 17 hits, including 11 in seven innings off starter Mike Finnegan and six more against two relief pitchers in a seven-run eighth inning.
Ryan Von Haden had three hits, including a double for the Pioneers, while Chris Olson and Adam Leonhard each had a pair of singles.
The Pioneers, now 3-4, close their trip Friday with a 10 a.m. game against MacMurray. They return home Saturday, then get right back on the bus Monday for a doubleheader at Knox College. This site will be updated Monday morning with the MacMurray results and the boxscores from the last two games in Florida.
posted 3/27/02
Pioneers beat Augsburg, 7-3
The UW-Platteville baseball team evened its season record at 3-3 with a 7-3 victory over Augsburg College Wednesday night in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Pioneers knocked out 10 hits, including a two-run home run by Merrill Brunson, and survived 12 walks by their pitching staff.
The Pioneers took a 5-3 lead with a four-run outburst in the fifth inning, and Brunson added insurance runs the following inning with his blast. Craig West threw the first five innings to earn his first UWP win. Five other pitchers saw action on the mound for first-year coach Jamie Sailors.
Emmanuel Rivera, Ryan Von Haden and Bailey Brueggan each had two hits for the Pioneers. Von Haden continued his torrid spring trip, which has seen him hit .632 for the first six games.
The Pioneers are back in action Thursday against Concordia-Moorhead and finish the trip Friday vs. MacMurray.
posted 3/26/02
Pioneers begin 1-3 in Florida
The UW-Platteville baseball team pounded out 17 hits Saturday in a 19-2 thrashing of Fredonia State (NY) University to begin the annual spring trip.
Ryan Von Haden and Merrill Brunson each had four hits, with Von Haden knocking in a game-high six runs. Emmanual Rivera, Chris Olson and Dave Kerrigan each had a pair of hits. Matt Hoff earned the victory on the mound, giving up five hits over five innings, with Josh Conley pitching two scoreless innings, striking out four.
The Pioneers dropped a heartbreaker Sunday, as Macalester rallied for nine runs in the top of the ninth to steal an 11-9 win. The loss spoiled another fine outing by Mike Finnegan, who allowed just four hits over seven innings. Von Haden had three more hits, while Brunson had two doubles, and Ryan Levendoski hit the Pioneers' first home run.
UWP lost a doubleheader to a strong Mt. Vernon Nazarene team by identical 6-3 scores Monday. The Cougars have 12 returners from last year's 35-16 club. Marc Movrich and Olson each had two hits in the opener, and Brunson and Von Haden had a pair apiece in the nightcap.
The Pioneers, 1-3 on their trip and 2-3 overall, continue their trip with single nine-inning games against Augsburg (Wedendsay), Concordia-Moorhead (Thursday), and MacMurray (Friday).
posted 3/15/02
Pioneers win opener, 2-0
The UW-Platteville baseball team opened the 2002 season with a 2-0 win at Mount St. Clare College, giving first-year head coach Jamie Sailors a victory in his debut as the Pioneer manager.
Mike Finnegan went the first six innings on the mound, and Brian Moloney struck out three in the seventh for the Pioneer shutout.
Emmanuel Rivera singled in the first inning, went to third on Matt Hoff's hit, and scored on a fielder's choice. Ryan Von Haden added an RBI double in the sixth to score Hoff.
"Both teams played well," Sailors said. "We did the little things to move runners when we had to and struck out only once all game. Ryan Von Haden had a big hit to make it a two-run game, and Emmanuel Rivera went from first to third by making a good read on Hoff's hit to set up our first run."
While the Pioneers were making good plays on the base paths, catcher Kurt Tardy was wiping out Mountie attacks. He threw out three would-be stealers, and Finnegan picked off another runner.
Finnegan scattered eight hits in his six innings, striking out four.
"When Mike needed to make the big pitch, he made it and kept himself out of big innings," Sailors said.
Maloney gave up a leadoff double in the seventh, and the runner moved to third on a passed ball. Maloney then struck out the next three batters to end the game and earn the save.
"He may have been a little nervous, but after he gave up that first hit, he just mowed them down," Sailors said.
The Pioneers and Mounties also played a junior varsity game, with MSC coming out on top 6-5.
The Pioneers are back in action on their spring trip, which begins March 25 in Florida. UWP will play seven games down south, then return for makeup games at Knox (April 1) and Loras (April 3). The home--and WIAC--opener is set for the weekend of April 6-7, when UW-Stout will be at Kendall Murray for four games. Both doubleheaders begin at noon.
posted 3/12/02
Games changed
The UW-Platteville baseball doubleheader scheduled at Loras College today has been postponed because of wet fields. The Pioneers and Duhawks will play Wednesday, April 3 at 3 p.m.
Last Saturday's scheduled games at Knox College have been reset for Monday, April 1 at 1 p.m.
The Pioneers are still scheduled to play at Mount St. Clare College Friday at 1 p.m.
Season Preview
The changes are noticeable as soon as the UW-Platteville baseball team begins practicing. For one thing, the Pioneers are adorned in snazzy practice gear, the first time they have ever been outfitted like that. Another is the practice times, which generally run evenings. The most noticeable, though, is the man in charge. New manager Jamie Sailors brings the experience of being a former 13th-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals to the Pioneers.
The UWP Pioneers are serious about the 2002 season and beyond.
"We've raised our expectation level," Sailors said. "We asked them to do more in the off-season in the weight room, and they did that. Our guys are determined."
The message is clear: in order for a building to be strong, it must start with a strong foundation. That is why the practice uniforms and the like are so important.
"That's just part of team chemistry and team camaraderie," Sailors said. "It sets an atmosphere of being productive in practice."
The first-year head coach is counting on that practice productivity translating to game productivity. The Pioneers are looking to improve upon a 13-17 record, which included a 3-10 conference mark. Since the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference abandoned its divisional format and went to one eight-team league with round-robin play in 1998, the Pioneers have finished sixth twice and seventh the other two times. Sailors and the Pioneers would like to change that history.
"Ideally we'd like to be in the top four and qualify for the conference tournament," Sailors said. "I think that's possible, given the right pitching matchups, and that's our goal. We want to play in the post-season."
Although the Pioneers lost seven seniors from last year's squad, they return a healthy mix of returners, some key transfers and a solid freshman class recruited by Sailors and assistant Kevin Bowers, who served as last year's interim coach.
"We have more talent at all the positions," the coach said. "I think we can put out a pretty good nine and have good depth behind them."
The Pioneers also have one of the league's most intriguing stories as they welcomed back Merrill Brunson (pictured left), a former all-region pick who has missed the last few years to play pro basketball in England. Brunson was the 1999 NCAA Division III national basketball player of the year and an all-West Region baseball pick after hitting .392 in 1998. Brunson has one semester of eligibilty remaining as he finishes his education degree and is taking part in spring training exercizes for the first time in his career.
"It's good to have Merrill back," Sailors said. "He's a good athlete who works very hard."
Brunson has played both shortstop and outfield in his career and will continue to do so this year. Newcomer Emmanuel Rivera has been spectacular at times during practice at shortstop. He led Guamani Private School to a Puerto Rican championship by hitting .365 with 32 stolen bases. He started at national powerhouse Muscatine Junior College last year, hitting .287.
"The middle infield is the strength right now," Sailors said. "We have good depth with Emmanuel Riveria and Merrill Brunson at shortstop, and Dave Kerrigan, who has had a lot of experience, as a senior at second base."
Kerrigan is a three-year starter who hit .258 last year and led the team with 79 putouts.
Two experienced players return at the corners. Brad Busler had a sensational freshman year at third base, hitting .347 with a team-high 19 runs. Chris Olson followed up his standout freshman campaign at first base with another solid year, hitting .296 with five doubles and two home runs. Busler will be pushed hard by freshman Brett Mandsager, who hit .350 with 5 HRs at North Scott High School, while Olson will be challenged by junior Matt Hoff, who hit .311 as the designated hitter last year and a pair of UW-Whitewater transfers. Ryan Von Haden is a former Southwest Athletic League player of the year who hit over .520 in both of his last year's at Boscobel, while Marc Movrich prepped at Stoughton and hit a home run in the state all-star game.
Movich can also catch and will challenge incumbents Kurt Tardy, a two-year starter who hit .351 last year, and Ryan Levandowski, who batted .233 while splitting time with Tardy as a freshman.
The outfield competition is just as fierce as the infield, with Brunson and Von Haden joined returners Ray Lauersdorf (.372) and speedster Bailey Brueggen as well as newcomers Adam Leonhard, who hit .351 at Madison Area Technical College; Drew Holman, who played on the Pioneer football team in the fall; and Casey Schultz, a three-time all-conference selection at Riverdale High School who also played in the state all-star game.
"We have some depth in the outfield as well as some speed," Sailors said. "We've got guys who can cover some ground. We just have to find the right mix in the lineup."
With the WIAC making radical scheduling changes, pitching becomes even more important in 2002. The Pioneers will now play every league team four times, instead of twice. WIAC series will be Saturday and Sunday for teams far away, meaning every weekend teams will play four nine-inning games against the same opponent. Then Wednesday, teams in closer proximity will play two nine-inning games. Pitching, and pitching matchups, take on great importance.
""We realistically need at least five starters, so you don't wear guys down," Sailors said. "We'd like to have six, but will look for five quality starters."
The Pioneers' top returner is Mike Finnegan, who was 3-5 with 32 strikeouts to only 11 walks in 52.1 innings last year. Matt Hoff, who made two saves in limited relief work, finally appears to be injury-free and will contend for a starting spot as well as several players, such as Josh Conley and Dusty Jacobson, who saw spot duty last year.
Newcomers vying for spots include Cain Cooper and Craig West, from Rock Valley Junior College and Hononegah (Ill.) High School; Brock Belcher, who was 6-1 at Delavan-Darien High School; and Von Haden, who set a state record with 20 strikeouts while pitching at Boscobel.
The Pioneers being their season March 9 at Knox College, followed by games at Loras March 12. The home opener is April 6 vs. UW-Stout.
"The first few weeks of practice have gone pretty well," Sailors said. "Obviously we have good days and bad days like every other team, but overall we're further ahead than I thought we'd be."