Pioneers Lose Doubleheader to UW-River Falls

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Pioneers Lose Doubleheader to UW-River Falls
April 29, 2012

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team dropped a doubleheader to UW-River Falls on Sunday, losing 1-0 and 6-3.

The Pioneers (19-17, 8-8 WIAC) were held to four hits in the first game and seven in the second game by Falcons' pitcher Rose Tusa.

In game one, UW-River Falls scored in the first inning and that was all the offense the Falcons would need. The Pioneers would have base runners in four of the seven innings; however, each time the Falcons and Tusa would keep the Pioneers off the scoreboard.

Tusa struck out 13, allowed just the four hits to pick up her first of two wins on the afternoon to raise her record to 16-5. Pioneer starter Melissa Anderson would be the tough-luck loser. She pitched a complete game, scattering seven hits and striking out two to fall to 11-9.

In the nightcap, UW-Platteville jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the first inning when Molly Rice doubled in Ashlen Folkers and Nathalie Schattner, who singled and doubled, respectively earlier in the inning. However, the Falcons answered the Pioneer offense with a three-run home run by Ashley Goettl in its half of the first to regain the lead. The Falcons extended the lead to 4-2 with an insurance run in the third.

The Pioneers came back with a run in the sixth to cut the deficit to one, 4-3. Colleen Lowe singled to right field to start the inning. A stolen base and a ground out moved pinchrunner Cassandra Bonin to third. She later came around to score on a fielder's choice by Ellyn Goerdt. UW-River Falls had the answer, again, to the Pioneer offense with a solo home run and RBI double in its half of the sixth to take a three-run lead.

Tusa escaped a threat in the seventh by the Pioneers to record her second win of the afternoon. She scattered seven hits and struck out eight to raise her record to 17-5. Hayley Buchanan and Amber O'Connell each had two hits to lead the offensive attack for the Falcons. 

Offensively for UW-Platteville, Ashlen Folkers and Nathalie Schattner each had two hits in the nightcap. Pioneer starter Jeni Freiburger went the distance, struck out three in the loss to fall to 7-7.

The Pioneers will now travel to the WIAC Tournament for the first time since the 2008 campaign.