Baseball unable to earn four-game sweep over UW-Stout

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team split its final two games on the weekend against UW-Stout at Kendall Murray Field on Sunday. The Pioneers took game one 14-10 and loss the nightcap 3-1. 

GAME ONE: UW-Platteville 14, UW-Stout 10

The Pioneers put themselves in a 6-0 hole after three innings, and finally got on the board in the top of the fourth, 6-1. 

UW-Platteville bats finally came alive in the fifth with senior Bobby Patton leading off the inning off with a single. Junior Ryan Duva made it a 6-3 with a two-run homer. Sophomore Bobby Bean kept the momentum going with a triple to right center and was driven home by fellow sophomore Evan Greco on a ground out to short. Junior Zach Demmon then tied the game up at 6-6 a batter later with a two-run home run. 

In the sixth inning, the Pioneers took a 7-6 lead when freshman George Jester III came through with a two-out RBI single. 

UW-Platteville broke the game open in the top of the eight scoring five runs on three hits, 12-6. Greco delivered a two RBI single and then Jester blasted a two-run home run. 

The Blue Devils didn't go down without a fight and used a two-out rally to make it a 12-10 ballgame. 

The sophomore duo of Bean and Greco each tallied a RBI giving the Pioneers a 14-10 lead in the top of the ninth. 

Five Pioneers recorded a multi-hit game with Jester leading the way with a 5-for-6 game with three runs and three RBIs. 

Junior Shane Murphy managed to get through the rough start and earned the win. He threw five innings and allowed six runs and seven hits. Freshman Austin Daniels came in relief and tossed three innings and gave up four runs on five hits.   

GAME TWO: UW-Platteville 1, UW-Stout 3

For the second straight outing sophomore Mike Boushley couldn't get enough run support from the Pioneer hitters. 

The Blue Devils got on top of Boushley early scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. 

The Pioneers took one back in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly by Duva, 2-1. 

Boushley settled in and kept Stout off the board until the bottom of the fifth when the Blue Devils scored on a dropped third strike which would have ended the inning to take a 3-1 lead.

Boushley had the Stout hitter off balance for most of the day and scattered 10 hits with six strikeouts in eight innings. 

Stout out hit the Pioneers 10-4 with Greco recording two of UW-Platteville's hits.

The Pioneers will play a midweek non-conference game against Edgewood College on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m at Kendall Murray Field.