UW-Platteville Splits WIAC Twinbill with UW-La Crosse

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team split a WIAC twinbill on Thursday against UW-La Crosse, dropping game one by a 7-3 decision and posting a 2-0 shutout in game two. With the doubleheader split, UW-Platteville improves to 12-16 overall and 2-4 in the WIAC and UW-La Crosse is now 17-10 overall and 3-3 in the WIAC.

Game One
Eagles’ catcher Katie Pietrowak went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead UW-La Crosse to a 7-3 win. Also scoring two runs was Jenna Ahren and Lauren Schaller in the win. Starting pitcher Lacey Probst pitched 5 1/3 innnings, scatting six hits, two runs – both earned – until she left the game after suffering an injury for the win. Lauren Beres pitched the final 1 1/3 innings of one-hit relief for the save.

The Pioneers got two hits each from Aubrey Fulton (pictured below), Colleen Lowe and Nathalie Schattner in the loss. UW-Platteville plated all three of its runs in the sixth inning.
UW-La Crosse scored once in the second and three more in the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Eagles built the lead on RBI singles by Pietrowiak in the second and Schaller in the third and a two-RBI double in the third by Keyes. The Pioneers mounted a comeback in the sixth inning.

To start the UW-Platteville rally, they got back-to-back singles from Fulton and Schattner. On a Jordan Johnson ground out to Probst, who was injured on the play, moved the runners to second and third. Reliever Abby Singerhouse only faced one batter but the Pioneers plated its first run of the afternoon on an illegal pitch. An Ellyn Goerdt walk put runners on first and third for Brittany Caley, who was celebrating her 20th birthday. The sophomore second baseman laid down a bunt to score Schattner from third and moved Goerdt from second to third. In an attempt to get Schattner at home, Caley moved to second. A wild pitch scored Goerdt to cut the deficit to one, 4-3 which prompted a UW-La Crosse pitching change. Beres entered the game and got Cassandra Bonin to pop out to end the inning.

The Eagles came back with three runs of insurance in the top of the seventh, two of them coming on a two-run home run by Pietrowak. The Pioneers got a pair of baserunners in a threat in the bottom half of the inning before Beres got a strike out and a ground out to seal the victory.

Game Two

Pioneers’ freshman pitcher Jeni Freiburger (pictured at the top) pitched her first collegiate shutout as UW-Platteville blanked UW-La Crosse, 2-0. Freiburger got all the offenisve support she would need in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by Chantal McReynolds.

With McReynolds putting the Pioneers up 1-0 in the first inning, UW-Platteville added its other urn in the second inning. After back to back singles by Goerdt and Lowe put runners on first and second, Caley squeeze bunted them over a base to second and third, respectively. Next, Goerdt scored on a sacrifice fly by Bonin.

For the Pioneers, Freiburger had strong command on the mound and got defensive support with inning-ending double plays in the fourth and fifth innings. In addition, she got a diving stop by Caley at second base to close out the sixth for the Eagles.

Next, the Pioneers will host UW-Stevens Point on Saturday for another WIAC doubleheader at noon at the UWP Softball Complex.

Prior to the game, UW-Platteville will recognize seniors Samantha Niemann and Kristin Nelson.