Pioneers drop two at Cornell

MOUNT VERNON, IA – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team fell to Cornell College in both games of Tuesday's double header at the Mount Vernon Softball Complex. The Pioneers suffered a narrow 2-1 final in game one before falling 4-1 in game two.

The Rams (8-6) totaled 11 hits to the Pioneers' (7-9) six hits and both teams accounted for just one fielding error apiece in Tuesday's double header.

In game one, the Pioneers got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second when Riley Kelsch grounded out to first base unassisted to run home Abby Burns.

The Rams pulled away for good in the fourth inning as Cornell's Katlyn Little singled on a 3-2 count, scoring one run.  Little was followed then by a double from Carly Robinison, making it a 2-1 game that would ultimately become final.

Rachel Martin went 1-for-2 at the plate and the Pioneers as a whole did not commit a single error in the field.

Ashton Hoeppner (L, 3-4) started and finished game one for the Pioneers and struck out four, walked three and surrendered seven hits.  Cornell's Haley Harmon (W, 4-1) struck out three, walked three, and gave up just one hit to Martin.

In game two, Martin continued to impress when she doubled down the left field line on a 3-1 count scoring one run by Haili Cota in the top of the first.

Cornell got the tying and leading runs off a single, 2RBI, by Kat Edmond with bases loaded in the bottom of the third. The Rams added two more in the sixth when Maddy Smith homered to left center for two RBI and stretched Cornell's lead to 4-1. 

Martin and Alejandra Ochoa led the Pioneers with both going 2-for-3 at the plate in game two.

Abby Burns (L, 2-4) got the start for the Pioneers in the pitching circle before being relieved by Andra O'Brien in the bottom of the sixth.  Burns struck out one and yielded four hits with two walks.   Cornell's Katlyn Little (W, 2-2) gave up five hits and struck out three with zero walks in game two.

The Pioneers will return to action next Tuesday, April 2 when they host the Beloit Buccaneers in the season's home opener with game times scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m.