Pioneers Drop Doubleheader to Loras

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team dropped a doubleheader to Loras, 4-3 and 2-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Faber-Clark Field in Dubuque, Iowa.

The Pioneers (7-7) gave up four runs in the second inning of game one and a run each in the fifth and sixth inning to the host Duhawks for the doubleheader sweep.

Loras (11-5) starting pitchers Kellie Klein and Stephanie Popovich held the Pioneers off the scoreboard while UW-Platteville stranded 15 baserunners in the two games.

In game one, after UW-Platteville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a RBI double, the host Duhawks plated four runs in the bottom half of the inning for the win. The big blow was a two-RBI single by Katie Serpico that put Loras ahead 4-1.

The Pioneers came back with a run each in the third, fifth and sixth innings. UW-Platteville had an opportunity, in the fourth, with the bases load but Klein escaped damage with a strike out and a fielder's choice to end the threat.

In game two, the Pioneers mounted a threat in the top of the fifth. With the go-ahead run on third after a failed pickoff attempt and a Pioneer sacrifice bunt, a Pioneer pinch runner was thrown out at home by Popovich. Then, Kayla Gosdeck singled to put runners on first and second but a pop out ended the threat.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Klein hit a solo homerun to put Loras up 1-0 on just the second hit of the game by the Duhawks.

The Pioneers looked to come back and tie it in the sixth on back-to-back two out singles by Ellyn Goerdt and Molly Rice. However, Popovich kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard with a line out. Loras added an insurance run in the sixth on a RBI single to stretch the lead to 2-0 for the win.

Next, UW-Platteville will host Dubuque on Thursday in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. at the UW-Platteville Softball Complex.