Pioneers Take Two from Blue Devils
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team swept UW-Stout in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the UW-Platteville Softball Complex. The pair of wins marks the first time since 2017 that the Pioneers (11-11, 5-5 WIAC) defeated the Blue Devils (4-17, 0-9 WIAC) and the first since the 2008 season where UW-Platteville took two from Stout. The Pioneers won game one 5-1 and added a 5-3 victory in game two for their second doubleheader sweep of the year.
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wis.-Stout
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
|
Wis.-Platteville
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 13 | 1 |
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wis.-Stout
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
|
Wis.-Platteville
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 |
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team swept UW-Stout in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the UW-Platteville Softball Complex. The pair of wins marks the first time since 2017 that the Pioneers (11-11, 5-5 WIAC) defeated the Blue Devils (4-17, 0-9 WIAC) and the first since the 2008 season where UW-Platteville took two from Stout. The Pioneers won game one 5-1 and added a 5-3 victory in game two for the second doubleheader sweep of the year.
"The seniors had a goal set at the beginning of the year to beat Stout," said head coach Becca Lowe. "As a team, we have done a pretty good job of splitting with teams, but our goal today was to win the first. Once we won the first, we were ready for the second! Pitchers had a great day and an all-around great team win."
Senior Ashton Hoeppner (4-6) had a strong day in the circle for the Pioneers, pitching a complete game one while striking out seven, walking one and giving up nine hits and one run. Hoeppner returned to close out game two for the pitcher's fourth save of the season. Hoeppner relieved sophomore Claire Bakkestuen (3-2) after 5.1 innings. Bakkestuen tallied three strikeouts and walked one while giving up five hits and three runs in the win.
Junior Angela Laabs led the Pioneers at the plate Saturday and was 4-7 with an RBI. Junior Rachel Plautz went 3-7 and tallied three RBIs in the sweep. Sophomore Amanda Stanczuk and freshman Danielle Trumbo each added two RBIs of their own.
In the opener, the game remained scoreless through 4.5 innings, but things changed in a big way in the bottom of the 5th inning. Three base hits loaded bases in time for Plautz to ground out to shortstop and score one run to take the lead. UW-Stout intentionally walked senior Shannon Gaul to load bases once again and Laabs followed Gaul with a single through the left side to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead with just one out. Bakkestuen popped up to third base and Stanczuk stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs. Stanczuk doubled for two RBI, and advanced to third when the catcher overthrew second base which also allowed Laabs to run home and extend the lead to 5-0. Stout added one run before the Pioneers recorded the final out to secure the first win over the Blue Devils since 2017.
The tale of big innings continued in the nightcap as the Pioneers were still running high from the victory. In the first inning, Plautz singled and ran in runners on second and third to give an early 2-0 lead. Later in the first frame, Trumbo had another two RBI single up the middle and extended the lead to 4-0 after one inning. In the 2nd inning, Gaul doubled down the right line and extended the lead to 5-0, running in senior Abby Burns.
The Blue Devils trimmed the lead to 5-2 with an inside the park homer by Shannon Jones in the third inning. Stout added one more run in the 6th inning before Hoeppner returned to throw relief and the Pioneer added one more strikeout to the day in order to get out of the 6th inning and leave two Blue Devils stranded on second and third base.
The Pioneers and Blue Devils will meet once more this season for a non-conference doubleheader on May 1. UW-Platteville will return to action on Wednesday, April 28 when the team travels to UW-Stout for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
