Softball Sweeps Beloit

BELOIT, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team swept Beloit College, 4-3 in game one and 10-7 in the night cap at Strong Complex Field on Tuesday.

The Pioneers out hits the Bucs 24-10 for the afternoon.

GAME ONE: UW-Platteville – 4, Beloit – 3

Beloit struck first scoring a run in the bottom half of the first inning, but the Pioneers responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second.  Freshman Carley Rote put the UW-Platteville on the board with a RBI double to right center. Senior Molly Rice recorded a two-out RBI single putting the Pioneers on top 2-1.

The Pioneers  increased their lead in the third inning with another two-out RBI single, this time by senior Colleen Lowe.

UW-Platteville added another insurance run in the fifth which proved to be needed. In the bottom of the fifth, The Bucs tallied three of their four hits and scored two runs, 4-3.

Junior Jeni Freiburger bounced back after giving up the two runs in the fifth and sat down Beloit in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

Freiburger recorded her second victory of the season, throwing a complete-game, and only allowed four hits and struck out three.

Ashlen Folkers registered three of the Pioneers eight hits.

GAME TWO: UW-Platteville – 10, Beloit – 7

The Pioneers kept the bats going in the game two and jumped out to a two-run lead. UW-Platteville started the game with two consecutive hits, and RBIs from Taylor Ruchti and Colleen Lowe gave the Pioneers a 2-0 advantage.

The Pioneers added another run in the fourth before breaking the game open in the sixth inning. UW-Platteville scored five runs with two outs.

The Bucs cut their deficit in the bottom of the six with two runs, but the Pioneers bounced right back with two of their own in top of the seventh.

With a 10-2 lead going into the final half inning, Beloit didn't go down without a fight. The Bucs scored five runs with two-outs on four hits, 10-7.

UW-Platteville's Melissa Anderson earned her first victory of the season. She held the Bucs to one hit in the first five innings before giving up seven runs and six in the final two frames. The Schaumberg, Ill. native, struck out a career-high 12 batters.

Rice tied a career-best game with three hits and four runs to lead the Pioneer hitters.

The Pioneers host Clarke University for a doubleheader for their home opener on Thursday at Pioneer Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.