Pioneers fall in debut doubleheader

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. -- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team lost in its season-opening doubleheader to Luther College 12-6 in game one and 8-7 in game two at Lenz Field in Jacksonville, Ill. 

In game one, the Pioneers fell behind quickly, finding themselves in a four-run hole after the second inning. In the top of the third, centerfielder Ryan Duva and first baseman Zach Demmon picked up RBI singles to half Luther's lead. However, Luther responded with a four-run third inning.

UW-Platteville picked up three runs in the fifth, powered by catcher Todd Wienkes' two-run double to right field. With the score 8-5, Luther again answered with a two-run fifth, and a two-run eighth to finish the game.

Despite the loss, third baseman Zack Iverson notched three hits and an RBI. 

Game two started with a bang, as the Pioneers burst out of the dugout with three runs in the first inning, as Demmon, second baseman George Jester III and Iverson recorded RBIs. 

Luther brought in a run in the first to cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the first, but then in the top of the third, shortstop Casey Schroeder tallied the first Pioneer home run of the season. In Luther's turn at bat in the third, they brought in two runs to bring the score to 4-3.

The teams did not score again until the top of the sixth when the Pioneers got a run on a sacrifice fly by Wienkes. 

However Luther turned the momentum in their favor in the bottom of the eighth, as they put up four runs to take the lead 7-5 with two outs, helped by four walks and an error with the bases loaded.

UW-Platteville tied the game in the ninth with a two-run double from Jester III, but Luther won the game in the final frame on a one-out single.

The Pioneers return to the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader against Loras.