Pioneers’ Track program sees another school record fall
Platteville, Wis.- University of Wisconsin-Platteville junior Brianna Leahy set a new school record for the outdoor shot put at the Meet of Champions on Saturday, April 17. Leahy won the event with a toss of 14.13 meters (46’4.25”).
Platteville, Wis.- University of Wisconsin-Platteville junior Brianna Leahy set a new school record for the outdoor shot put at the Meet of Champions on Saturday, April 17. Leahy won the event with a toss of 14.13 meters (46'4.25").
The Shullsburg, Wisconsin native continues to climb the NCAA and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honor roll. Leahy has the top throw in the WIAC and second-best throw in the nation. Leahy, a starting post player for the Pioneer Women's basketball team, is in her first year of competition in track and field. Leahy finished off an impressive meet with third place and a personal best discus throw with a final distance of 40.90 meters (134'2").
Freshman Daniel Inyang continues to set personal bests. A week after he set a new personal best in the high jump, he set a personal best in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 11.42 seconds. He tied his personal best in the high jump to finish second.
For full recap of the Meet of Champions, visit the website.
The Pioneers will travel to UW-Whitewater for the Drake Alternative Meet on Saturday, April 24. The Pioneers will return home to host the final home meet of the year on Friday, April 30.
Softball splits three series
The Pioneer (9-9 3-3 WIAC) softball team could describe their season with one word: split. The Pioneers split three doubleheaders the past week. The Pioneers have split seven of the nine doubleheaders they have played.
The Pioneers opened the week with conference play and split with UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls, before splitting with UW-River Falls in a non-conference doubleheader to finish the week.
Senior Shannon Gaul had a big day at the plate in game one at UW-Whitewater. Gaul went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, her fourth home run of the season, and a double.
Senior Alejandra Ochoa and junior Rachel Plautz led the Pioneers to the game two victory at UW-River Falls. Both were 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Plautz added a double and drove in one.
The fourth inning of game two vs. UW- River Falls will be a memorable one for sophomore Claire Bakkestuen. She connected twice for home runs to help the Pioneers take game two 11-0. Bakkestuen has four home runs for the season.
UW-River Falls recap and photos.
Week ahead
The Pioneers will have a pair of WIAC doubleheaders. They travel to UW-Oshkosh (3-1, 11-5 WIAC) to battle the Titans on Tuesday, April 20. The Pioneers and Titans split a pair of non-conference games on April 6. The Titans took game one 4-0, and the Pioneers used an eight run sixth-inning to take the night cap 10-5.
Following the Titan series, the Pioneers welcome UW-Stout (3-14, 0-7 WIAC) to the Pioneer Softball Complex on Saturday, April 24 for a pair of games with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. This will be the first of four meetings between the Pioneers and Blue Devils.
The Pioneers enter the week with a .315 batting average, good for third in the WIAC. Junior Rachel Plautz went 8-for-19 this past week to up her team leading average to .400 (22-for-55).
Gaul and Bakkestuen are tied for the team lead with four home runs. Bakkestuen leads the Pioneers with 18 RBIs. Senior Abby Burns leads the Pioneers with six doubles and hitting .371 (23-for-62) for the year. Seven of the nine Pioneer regulars are hitting .300 or better.
Burns is also getting it done on the mound, leading the Pioneers with a 2.90 ERA. She has recorded three wins against two losses, throwing one complete game.
Baseball hosts UW-Eau Claire for first time in 25 plus years
The Pioneer (8-12, 4-8 WIAC) baseball team will look to get back into the win column after dropping the past 10 games. The Pioneers were swept by UW-La Crosse in a non-conference doubleheader before being swept by UW-Whitewater in two conference doubleheaders.
UW-La Crosse recap and photos.
UW-Whitewater recap and photos.
Week ahead
The Pioneers will battle UW-Eau Claire (4-14, 4-8 WIAC) in three doubleheaders. The Blugolds will be making their first trip to Kendall Murray Field for the first time in more than 25 years on Tuesday, April 20. UW-Eau Claire reinstated baseball for the 2021 season after dropping the program in 1995. The Pioneers will travel to UW-Eau Claire and historic Carson Park on Friday, April 23 for another conference doubleheader before the two teams finish with a non-conference doubleheader at Kendall Murray Field on Saturday, April 24. First pitch all three days is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Pioneers are 2-0 vs. the Blugolds, sweeping them in the first meeting on March 25.
Junior Jonathan Kelso continues to lead the Pioneers in hitting. Kelso is second in the WIAC with a .478 average (33-for-69). Kelso leads the WIAC with a .598 on-base-percentage and doubles (11). Kelso has 36 career doubles, six from the school record 42 set by Ross Bennett in 2008.
Freshman Grant Mullins leads the WIAC in triples with five, he is tied for the team lead in home runs with Kelso, both with two.
Junior Michael Greco leads the Pioneers with a 4.02 ERA in five appearances. Freshman Sam Hernandez has struck out 19 in 27 innings of work.
Golfers finish ninth at UW-Whitewater
The Pioneer Women's golf team traveled to UW-Whitewater's two-day spring invite. Junior Markie Ash led the Pioneers with a two-day total of 165. After tailing an opening round 86, Ash fired her first sub-80 round of the year with a 79 to finish tied 12th overall.
The Pioneers will return to UW-Whitewater and the Riverside Golf Course in Janesville, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 24 for the UW-Whitewater Spring Fling.
To follow all the Pioneer action this spring, visit www.Letsgopioneers.com for links for live stats, postgame recaps, and links for the contests that are live streamed.