UW-Platteville Drops Two to UW-Whitewater in WIAC Action

A throwing error scored an unearned run in the 10th inning of game two and 12 unanswered runs in game one led No. 9 UW-Whitewater to a doubleheader sweep, 12-2 and 7-6 of visiting UW-Platteville on Wednesday afternoon.

UW-Whitewater (23-5, 13-3 WIAC) with its two wins in the twinbill and its two victories on April 13 complete a season sweep of the Pioneers. The two losses extend the UW-Platteville (8-23, 6-14 WIAC) losing skid to six games and the Warhawks with the two wins stretch their winning streak to eight in a row.

Game 1
The Pioneers jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning against UW-Whitewater starter Riley Tincher, who had held UW-Platteville to just one run in the April 13th encounter. UW-Platteville capitalized on two errors by the host Warhawks to score both of its runs.

Levi Ney reached on a fielder’s choice and Brett Benesh walked to put runners on first and second, next with two out, Trevor Kattre cleared the bases. Kattre hit a ball that was misplayed the Warhawks’ right fielder scoring Benesh and Ney for the early 2-0 lead.

UW-Whitewater stranded the bases loaded in loaded in its half of the first but were able to score one run on two hits to cut the UW-Platteville lead to 2-1.

Tincher kept the Pioneers off the basepaths for the remainder of his five-inning stint, surrendering just a single by Ney in the third. The Warhawks gave him the support he needed for the win, scoring four in the second, three in the fifth, twice in the seventh, once in the fifth and sixth to complete the 12-2 win in seven innings.

The Pioneers were held to just two hits and the Warhawks had 16 hits including four from Rob Coe and four Warhawks had two hits in the win for UW-Whitewater. With the win, Tincher raises his record to 5-2 and UW-Platteville starter Grant Oldenburg falls to 0-1.

Game 2
The Pioneers out hit UW-Whitewater by an 11 to 10 margin in the nightcap but the Warhawks plated a run in the ninth to tie it and another in the 10th to complete the come-from-behind win.

UW-Platteville found itself behind 4-1 before scoring four times on three hits in the fifth to tie the game at 5. To start the rally, Tyler Jacobson singled through the left side; he later advanced to third on a Jesse Wiley double. Cody Luther was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Levi Ney. The Pioneer right fielder delivered a two-RBI single to empty the bases and cut the deficit to 5-4. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Aaron Hopson put UW-Platteville scored Ney to tie the game.

The Pioneers took their first lead of the game in the top of the ninth. With one out, Ney drove in Jesse Wiley, who had reached on a fielder’s choice; with a double to give UW-Platteville a 6-5 lead. The Pioneers were unable to add to their lead when a ground out ended the inning.

The Warhawks sent the game into the extra innings, tying it in the bottom half of the inning. After a lead-off single to start the inning, the Pioneers got back-to-back pop outs. After an intentional walk to set up the automatic force out, Young singled to tie the game at 6. In the 10th, with two out and runners on first and second, UW-Whitewater took advantage of a Pioneer error to plate the winning run.

For the Pioneers, in the nightcap, Levi Ney, Brett Benesh and Tyler Jacobson each had two hits to lead the 11-hit attack. Ney also drove in three to lead UW-Platteville. In relief of starter Tyler Nelson, the Pioneers’ Bill Oppriecht was the tough-luck loser and he falls to 2-5.

For the Warhawks, Daniel Putnam, Rob Coe and Jeff Donovan each had two hits to lead UW-Whitewater. Matthew Roberts pitched an inning of one-hit relief to raise his record to 2-1.

UW-Platteville will next wrap up the home portion of its schedule when they host UW-Stevens Point on Saturday and Sunday at Kendall Murray Field. First pitch for both days is set for noon.