Rhodes College Tops the Pioneers, 5-4

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team dropped its first of four spring break games, against Rhodes College, 5-4, on Monday in Memphis, Tenn. .

The Pioneers got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Junior Zach Demmon started the inning with a single to center field and eventually scored on a throwing error by the pitcher.

UW-Platteville extended its lead in the fourth with a pair of runs. Demmon led the inning off with a walk and scored two batters later on a RBI-single from senior Tyler Jacobson. Another miscue by the Lynx allowed junior Ryan Duva to score and gave the Pioneers a 3-0 advantage. Rhodes responded with two runs of its own all on two outs in the bottom half of the fourth making at a 3-2 game. The Pioneers' Shane Murphy allowed a two-out single and didn't help his own cause by walking and hitting the next two batters putting Rhodes on the board. Murphy gave up another walk before getting out of the inning and making it a one-run game.

The Pioneers scored another run in the six, but Rhodes tied the game up at 4-4 in the bottom half of the sixth. Freshman Austin Daniels got the Pioneers out of a jam after Murphy allowed two runs.

In the seventh, Daniels allowed the eventual game winning run and suffered his first loss of the season.

Demmon led the Pioneer hitters with a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon and scored two runs.

Murphy allowed four runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of work and struck out seven, while Daniels threw 2.1 relief innings and gave up four hits.

The Pioneers continue their spring break trip on Tuesday when they travel to Millsaps for a two game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday.