Titans Use Long Ball To Take Two From Pioneers

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh won both ends of a doubleheader at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Wednesday afternoon; 11-3 and 11-7.  The losses drop Platteville back to .500 overall at 14-14 and moves their record in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to 8-10.  The Titans improve to 15-10 overall, 12-6 in the WIAC.  Wednesday's doubleheader was the first meeting between the programs this season.  They will complete their four game series this Saturday, May 1st with a doubleheader in Oshkosh.

WP - G. Yakimisky (1-1)
 LP - M. Greco (1-3)
  S - H. Orth (1)

Oshkosh scored five runs early and five runs late to pull away for the game one win.  In the 2nd and 3rd innings it was the 7-8-9 batters in the Titan order that did the most damage against starter Michael Greco (Jr./Bolingbrook, Ill.), reaching base in all six of their plate appearances and scoring four runs.

Down 5-1 heading into the bottom of the 6th, the Pioneers mounted a two-run rally.  With one down, Jonny Kelso (Jr./Villa Park, Ill.) doubled, Jason Adams (So./Burlington, Wis.) singled, and Austin Pullara (Fr./Morris, Ill.) brought them both in with a 2-RBI double to bring the Pioneers to within 5-3.

The Titan bats responded, increasing its lead in each of the final three innings, beginning with a lead-off home run in the 7th inning from Jarrett Scheelk.  While the Oshkosh bats responded, reliever Harry Orth quieted the Pioneer offense, allowing just one hit and no runs in earning the three-inning save.

Adams went 3-4 from the plate while serving as the Pioneer designated hitter in the opener.

WP - J. Scheelk (5-1)
 LP - S. Arnold (2-2)

The Platteville offense loaded the bases with one out in both the 2nd and 3rd innings but were only able to push across one run.  The Titans took advantage in the 4th.  After starter Sam Arnold (Fr./Des Plaines, Ill.) retired the first six batters in order, he struggled with control to begin the 3rd, walking the first two hitters he faced.  After an RBI single, Arnold issued another walk, ending his afternoon as Head Coach Chad Harris went to his bullpen.  With one in and two on, Jake Schneider (Fr./Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) entered the game and allowed a pair of RBI base hits sandwiched around a 6-4-3 double play.  A Conner Giusti fly out to center ended the inning but not before Oshkosh had built a 4-1 lead.

After adding single runs in the 5th and 6th to go up 6-2, the Titans may have thought they put the game away with a four-run 7th to make it a 10-2 game.  As he did in game one, Scheelk led off the seventh with a home run.  Later with two on and two out Chase Marsh sent a three-run blast over the fence in left for the second Titan home run in the inning.

Platteville battled back in the bottom of the 7th however.  Kelso led off with a solo home run of his own.  One out later, Scheelk, the Titan starter in game two, issued walks to Ross Krist (Jr./Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) and Pullara.  The next batter, Wyatt Molitor (Fr./Reedsburg, Wis.), then ripped the first pitch he saw from Scheelk into the left-centerfield gap for a 2-RBI double.  Cameron Mulvihill came on in relief of Scheelk and immediately gave up a two-run home run to Mitchell McLaughlin (Fr./Amboy, Ill.).  The first collegiate career HR from McLaughlin pulled the Pioneers to within three, 10-7.

Oshkosh responded to the 5-run Pioneer outburst with a leadoff home run for the second straight inning, this one coming off the bat of Hunter Staniske.  Titan relievers retired the final six Pioneer batters in order to preserve the sweep.

Kelso stole second base in the 5th inning for his 19th swipe of the season, one shy of his career high of 20 set back in spring 2019.  He has only been caught once.