Softball wins three of final four games on road trip

The UW-Platteville softball team has become accustomed to tightly contested games this season with 10 of 14 games being decided by one or two runs, and their final four games in March were no different. All four games were decided by two runs with the Pioneers coming out on top in three of them.

Shannon Gaul record a hit in all four games going 9-15 at the plate with five RBI, three doubles, and two runs scored. Abby Jaques had her hit streak end at 11 games against Defiance, but still recorded five hits in the four games and scored six times.

Defiance College

Gaul had her first career multi-hit performance in a 9-7 UW-Platteville win and knocked in three runs. The Pioneers wasted no time Monday against Adrian (7-6), striking for two runs in the top of the first and three more in the second inning. Gaul added a run for the Pioneers in the fourth with a double that scored Jaques, and a single in the sixth by the freshman plated Cayleen Ryan to push the lead to 7-0.

Ashton Hoeppner had things rolling through the first five innings, striking out eight Bulldogs as her offense built a lead, but Adrian sent 10 to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and managed to tie the game at 7-7.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Jaques sent her first triple of the year to right field to score Rachel Bonnell. Ryan followed with a single to give the Pioneers a two run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. After struggling in the sixth, Hoeppner retired the Bulldogs in order to finish the game.

Defiance College

UW-Platteville plated two runs in the first inning at Defiance (6-6), and added an insurance run in the seventh for a 3-1 win Monday afternoon.

With two outs in the top of the first, back-to-back singles by Alejandra Ochoa and Rachel Martin gave the Pioneers' pitchers the only two runs they needed.

Although they struck out just four, Michaela Ward, Kate Snook, and Hoeppner combined to limit Defiance to five hits and just a single run.

Franklin College – Game 1

In their first game at Franklin (13-3) the Pioneers struggled to find their grove at the plate in a 4-2 loss.

Grizzlies' starter Olivia Paszek limited UW-Platteville to just four hits in the game and at one point retired 10 consecutive Pioneer batters.

Hoeppner limited Franklin to six hits herself in 4 1/3 innings of work, but the hits were timely as RBI singles in the second, third, and fourth scored all four of the Grizzly runs. Snook came on to throw 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

Franklin College – Game 2

The second game of the doubleheader with the Grizzlies had the same score as game one, but with the Pioneers coming out on top.

Gaul had a career high four hits with two RBI and a run scored. After throwing 4 1/3 innings in game one, coach Andie Varsho sent Hoeppner back onto the mound to start game two. She responded with a four hit, two run performance while striking out seven.

UW-Platteville (7-7) scored twice in the top of the first on a Gaul double and Franklin error, and added the eventual winning run in the fifth on a Jessy Tanel double. The Pioneers plated an insurance run in the seventh on Gaul's fourth hit of the game.

The Pioneers travel to Beloit College on April 3 for a doubleheader that is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.