Pioneers Take Two from Beloit
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team swept a
doubleheader from host Beloit, 3-2 and 9-1, on Thursday
afternoon.
The Pioneers (10-10) scored a run in the second, sixth and the
seventh for the opening game victory. UW-Platteville’s
Jordan Johnson had a team-high two-hits led a
five-hit effort and in the circle, pitcher Melissa
Anderson (pictured at the top) picked up the win
to raise her record to 7-2 on the season.
After Beloit (4-14) had tied the game for the second time in the
sixth, UW-Platteville plated the winning run in its half of the
seventh. To start the inning, junior Brittany
Caley reached on a walk. She promptly stole second and
moved to third on an Aubrey Fulton sacrifice bunt.
Next, Chantal McReynolds drove her in on a
fielder’s choice.
Anderson shut down Beloit in its half of the seventh with a pair
of ground outs and a pop out on a bunt attempt for the win.
Fueled by the opening game win, the Pioneers posted a 9-1 win in
the nightcap to complete the doubleheader sweep in five
innings. In the rout, UW-Platteville scored five times in the
second to erase an early 1-0 deficit and added four more in the
fifth for the run-rule victory. Picking up the win, in the circle
was Jeni Freiburger (pictured below), who
improves to 3-5. Five players had hits and four had RBIs in the win
for the Pioneers.
Offensively for the Pioneers, Brittany Caley had
two hits and two RBIs, Ellyn Goerdt had two hits
and two runs and Cassandra Bonin had a hit, scored
twice and had three RBI in the win to lead UW-Platteville.
In the second, the Pioneers scored five runs on just two hits but
took advantage of two Buccaneers’ errors. UW-Platteville put
together a hit parade in the fifth with four hits to score four
runs. With one out, Jordan Johnson and
Ellyn Goerdt singled to put runners on first and
second. Next, Colleen Lowe walked to load the
bases for Bonin, who drove in Johnson and Goerdt with a single
through the left side. The two-RBI single by Bonin put the
Pioneers in front by a 7-1 advantage. UW-Platteville added to its
lead on a RBI single by Caley and Bonin would score on a wild pitch
for the final margin.
Freiburger went all five innings, allowed just two hits, struck
out four and allowed an unearned run for the victory.
Next, the Pioneers will return to the UW-Platteville Softball
Complex for a WIAC doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. against
UW-River Falls and on Sunday for a doubleheader against
Augustana.