Pioneers send three to NCAA Track and Field National Indoor Championship

Platteville, Wis.- Three University of Wisconsin-Platteville track and field student-athletes qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division III Track and Field National Indoor Championship in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on March 13 and 14.

Senior Charlie Gifford and Noah Steiner qualified from the men's program, while senior Johanna Meister qualified from the women's program.  Gifford won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.15.  Gifford ran a season best 8.13 at the UW-Platteville qualifying meet to secure his spot. Steiner won the high jump, clearing 2.06m (6-9), Steiner jumped a season best 2.07m (6-9.5) at the UW-Platteville Invitational on Feb. 1.  Meister ran a personal best and finished second in the 800m with a time of 2:16.09.  Meister ran an indoor personal best 2:14.85 at the Wartburg Qualifier on March 7 to solidify her spot.

Steiner named Max Sparger Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete

After taking home the high jump hardware, Steiner was named the Max Sparger Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete.  Steiner maintains a 3.76 GPA while majoring in industrial technology management with a minor in drafting and product development.  He is a three-time U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic honoree, and a three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll member.  Steiner recently completed an internship in manufacturing at Decker Precision Machining.

Baseball takes 3 of 4 in Memphis

Chad Harris and the Pioneer baseball team opened the 2020 campaign dropping a pair of games in U.S Bank Stadium to Bethel University.  The Pioneers dropped the first game 12-1.  Senior Collin Mormann lead the Pioneers offensively with a 3-3 day.  Junior Jonathan Kelso went 1-3 with a triple and scored the lone Pioneer run.  Freshman Grant Mullins picked up his first hit of his career. 

The Pioneers dropped game two 8-1.  Junior Ryan Vogel went 2-3 with a double to lead the Pioneers offensively.  Senior Josh Moses and freshman Mitchell McLaughlin doubled as well.  Freshman Jacob Berendes pitched two scoreless innings in his Pioneer debut.

The Pioneers traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to take on Eureka in a pair of double headers.  The teams split the opening pair with Eureka taking game 16-5.  Junior Jonathan Kelso, junior Dan Opem, freshman Adam Gutshcow and sophomore Logan Kozak led the Pioneers with two hits. 

The Pioneers picked up the split with a 5-3 victory in game two.  Moses hit his first home run of the year, and freshman Jason Adams went 2 for 3 with a double.  The Pioneers capitalized on three errors by Eureka to get the victory.  Freshman Sam Hernandez threw five innings to pick up the win on the mound.  Junior Michael Greco struck out six over four innings to pick up the save.

The Pioneers swept Eureka on Sunday, March 8 to improve to 3-3 on the year.  Sophomore Garrett Gillund went 3-5 with a double to lead the Pioneers to an 8-5 game one victory.  Junior Ian Schildgen picked up the win in relief.  Schildgen threw five innings without allowing a run. 

The Pioneers used a five run ninth to complete the Sunday sweep 12-10.  Junior Brendon Reifsteck lead the charge with three hits including a single in the ninth to spark the comeback.  Junior Samuel Peters picked up the victory in relief to even his season record to 1-1.  Peters threw six innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out nine.

Adams finished the week off hitting .500 (6-of-12), including a double, four runs scored and two runs batted in.  Adams was named WIAC Kwik Trip athlete of the week for his performance.

The Pioneers next game is scheduled for March, 19 when St. Scholastica will visit Kendall Murray Field for a nine-inning contest starting at 3 p.m.