Pioneers Drop First Two WIAC Games To Titans

OSHKOSH, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team (5-5, 0-2 WIAC) dropped the first two games of its WIAC slate by scores of 4-0 and 11-6 to UW-Oshkosh (11-3, 2-0 WIAC) on Thursday from Alumni Stadium in Oshkosh.

Game One

Senior Isaac Bixby threw all eight innings for the Pioneers, limiting the Titans to four runs (two earned). UW-Oshkosh did most of its damage in the early stages of the game, scoring once in the first on a two-out single and twice in the second after three hits and an error.

Following the second innings, Bixby allowed just three baserunners over the next five innings until the Titans connected on a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 4-0.

UW-Platteville struggled to find much offensively, finishing with just three hits and one walk while stranding seven runners. Juniors Blake Bussan had the lone extra-base hit with his third-inning double, while sophomore Caleb Parker and junior Sam Meidenbauer had the other two hits for the Pioneers.

Game Two

The Pioneers scored in the top half of the first inning in game two on a two-out RBI single by freshman Anthony Massa. UW-Oshkosh answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to move in front 2-1.

UW-Platteville loaded the bases in the second and scored one run on a throwing error that allowed freshman Danny Hodel to cross the plate. The Titans once again regained the lead via a throwing error in the bottom of the third before sophomore Connor Gresens made it 3-3 with a solo home run in the top of the fourth.

The scoring went in favor of UW-Oshkosh over the next couple innings, with the Titans getting two in the fourth and three more in the fifth. The Pioneers cut the deficit down to four with a couple of runs in the sixth on an RBI double by sophomore Tarron Bockhop and RBI single by freshman Trinity Beland. Bockhop drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 9-6, but a two-run home run by the Titans in the bottom of the inning concluded the scoring at 11-6.

Senior Brady Hoppert (1-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing eight runs (five earned) on sevens hits across his four innings of work. The Pioneers bullpen of senior Josh Belgrave, senior Conner Paulson, and sophomore Wyatt Fischer combined to allow three runs over the final four innings.

At the plate, Beland recorded a team-high three hits as the Pioneers totaled 12 hits as a team. Meidenbauer and Gresens also posted multi-hit games for UW-Platteville.

Up Next

UW-Platteville and UW-Oshkosh will wrap up the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon from Alumni Stadium.