Pioneers Split Twinbill with UW-Oshkosh on Senior Day

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team nearly pulled off a series sweep of WIAC rival, UW-Oshkosh on Sunday on Senior Day. The Pioneers rallied to win game one, 10-9 and lost the nightcap by a 10-8 margin to the Titans.

The doubleheader split improves the Pioneers to 9-26 overall and 5-15 in the WIAC; whereas, the Titans are now 14-21 and 10-14 in the WIAC.

In game one, UW-Platteville built an early 8-1 advantage through the first five innings before the Titans came back with four in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-5. The Pioneers stretched the lead to 9-5 in the bottom of the sixth but a resilient UW-Oshkosh lineup tied it in the eighth at 9. However, UW-Platteville came back with a run in the bottom of the ninth for the 9-8 win.

The Pioneers' junior Jon Lewerke had a pair of two-RBI hits in the third and fifth that sparked the UW-Platteville offense for the early lead. However, the Titans got a pair of two-out, two-RBI hits off UW-Platteville starter Shane Murphy in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-5.

In the bottom half of the sixth, Cody Luther was hit by a pitch and stole second and third on the Titans' catcher. On his attempt to steal third, the throw sailed into the outfield to score the ninth run of the contest for UW-Platteville. The Pioneers held a 9-5 lead until the Titans scored four runs on just two hits, plus they took advantage of a UW-Platteville error and three walks to tie the contest.

In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Kattre singled through the left side. Then, Steve Wolke laid down a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by the Titans to put runners on first and second. Next, junior Topher Scheeler reached on a bunt to load the bases for freshman reserve Evan Greco. The rookie from Greenfield hit the ball to the UW-Oshkosh second baseman, which made a throw to the plate that sailed out of the reach of the Titans catcher to plate the winning run.

Out of the bullpen, the third UW-Platteville pitcher, senior Grant Oldenburg pitched the final two innings, where he gave up two hits and an unearned run for the win to improve to 3-1.

In the nightcap, each team had 11 hits but they also had five errors as UW-Oshkosh posted a 10-8 win over the Pioneers. Four Pioneers had multiple hits including Tyler Jacobson, Trevor Kattre, Steve Wolke and Jon Lewerke.

UW-Platteville went ahead 2-0 in the first inning on two hits and two errors by the Titans. UW-Oshkosh tied it in the second inning on a two-RBI single by Michael Swift, who had three hits to pace the Titans' attack. They took their first lead of the afternoon when they scored twice on four hits to take a 4-2 lead in the top of the third.

The lead was brief as the Pioneers came back in their half of the third. They plated four runs on four hits and two errors by UW-Oshkosh. Two of the runs came in on RBI singles by Lewerke and senior Charlie Beckman. UW-Oshkosh scored a run in the fourth to trim the UW-Platteville lead to 6-5 on a RBI single by Michael Polczyn. A double play by the Titans kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard in its half of the fourth and UW-Platteville stranded the bases loaded in the fifth.

In the sixth, the Pioneers stretched the lead to 7-5 when Kattre walked to start the inning; then, he stole second and third. Next, Topher Scheeler drove him in on a sacrifice fly.

However, UW-Oshkosh took advantage of an error by the Pioneers in the seventh to plate three on a bases loaded double by Kyle Van Abel to take an 8-7 lead.

Then, it was the Pioneers turn to take advantage of an error in its half of the inning. Zach Demmon reached on a hit by pitch to start the inning. Then, a Lewerke sacrifice bunt was misplayed the Titans to put Demmon on third and Lewerke on second. Next, Demmon scored on a RBI ground out by Tyler Jacobson to tie the game at 8.

In the eighth, the Titans regained the lead as they took advantage of a passed ball and another UW-Platteville error to score two runs that proved to be the difference in the game. In its half of the eighth, the Pioneers failed to plate a runner from third in the bottom of the eighth.

With a constant downpour of rain and temperatures dropping, the umpires elected to postpone the rest of the game.

Next, the Pioneers will close out the 2012 season with a game at Edgewood in Verona, Wisconsin on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and a WIAC series at UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, May 5 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, May 6 at noon.