Pioneers Begin Season With Loss To Greenville

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team (0-1) opened the 2024 season on the road with a 17-9 loss to Greenville (1-3) on Friday afternoon from Robert E. Smith Field in Greenville, Illinois.

A pair of errors helped the Panthers get out to a 7-0 lead after the first two innings before the Pioneers got one back in the top of third on a triple by junior Slate Higa and an RBI groundout by sophomore Caleb Parker. In the fourth, sophomore Mason Molitor led off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch, but Greenville answered with three more in the bottom half of the inning to make it 10-2.

UW-Platteville scored two in the fifth via a wild pitch and a solo home run by senior Mitchell Pomeroy and another in the sixth on a double by sophomore Charlie Breen but another three spot for the Panthers made it 13-5.

With the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, junior Justin Fago doubled to right center to score two runners. He and Mason Molitor also came around to score on a pair of RBI groundouts in the inning. Greenville capped off the scoring with three in the seventh and another in the eighth to win 17-9.

The Pioneers recorded 10 hits in the game, with senior Jake Wegner finishing 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Eight of those 10 hits went for extra bases as UW-Platteville showcased its power in the season opener.

Senior Brandon Molldrem was dealt the loss on the mound after allowing seven runs (three earned) across two innings of work. Senior Jake Schneider threw the next three innings followed by sophomore Sawyer Molitor. Freshman Matthew Carlson tossed the final 1.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run.

UW-Platteville will play two games tomorrow, starting with a noon first pitch against Illinois Wesleyan in St. Louis, Missouri. The second game will begin at 3 p.m. against Fontbonne.