Softball Drops Two to UW-Stout

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team dropped two games to UW-Stout, 5-4 (9 innings) and 13-7 on Sunday at Pioneer Stadium.

The Pioneers fall to 2-2 in conference play and 7-7 on the season as the Blue Devils being WIAC play 2-0 after having their games postponed on Saturday.

GAME ONE: UW-Platteville 4, UW-Stout (9 innings)

Stout took advantage of an early miscue by the Pioneers in the first inning taking an 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers answered with three runs of their own. UW-Platteville started the first inning with two walks and Colleen Lowe singled to left scoring the Pioneers first run. Two batters later, freshman Taylor Ruchti drilled a single to third scoring two runs and giving the Pioneers a 3-1 lead.

Freshman Haley Salazar led off the second with her first collegiate home run adding to the Pioneers' lead, 4-1.

The Blue Devils brought it to a one-run game in the sixth. A pinch hit single by Daniele Hoover to right field scored two runs.

A home run in the top of the seventh tied the game up at 4-4.

The Blue Devils put runners on second and third with one out in the ninth inning. Stout pushed the go-ahead on a suicide squeeze which looked like the squeeze was stopped but a poor catcher obstruction call by the umpire gave Stout the game-winner.

Junior Jeni Freiburger was solid through the first six innings but stumbled in the final two innings giving up a total of six hits and four runs.

Senior Melissa Anderson suffered the unfortunate loss, throwing two relief innings and allowedtwo hits and a run.

Ruchti lead the Pioneer hitters with three hits and two RBIs while senior Ashlen Folkers went 2-for-3.

GAME TWO: UW-Platteville 6, UW-Stout 13

The Pioneers weren't able get over the tough loss so quickly as UW-Stout took a 2-0 lead in the first.

The Pioneers took advantage of a Blue Devil error and gained a 3-2 lead in the second inning. With one-out Ruchti scored on a wild pitch which moved Molly Rice to third and Kayla Gosdeck to second. Becca Lowe made the Blue Devils pay for their miscue with a two RBI single to left center.

Stout tied the game up in the third and added four more runs in the fourth taking a 7-3 lead.

The Pioneers would go down without a fight scoring three runs all on two outs in the fifth making it a one-run game, 7-6.

The Blue Devils responded with three runs of their own the sixth and tacked on three more in the seventh for good measure.

Rice led the Pioneers with a 3-for-3 game with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Pioneers will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they travel to UW-Whitewater. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m.