Pioneers sweep Falcons

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team swept UW-River Falls 6-5 and 3-0 Friday in the second to last WIAC doubleheader of the season. Due to projected precipitation in Platteville, the games were moved from Saturday to Friday and to the neutral site of Bollinger Field at UW-Eau Claire.

The Pioneers improved to 17-17 and 7-5 in the league after Friday's games while UW-River Falls fell to 8-2 and 2-10 in the WIAC.

In game one, The Pioneers had to battle back after a favorable second inning for the Falcons left the Pioneers down 4-0 when UW-River Falls was able to run four in with the aid of two Pioneer errors.

The Pioneers chipped away and trailed 5-3 when they stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and two on base, Rachel Martin homered over center field to score three and walk off with the 6-5 win.

Martin was 3-for-4 in game one and racked up five RBI in the single game.

Ashton Hoeppner (W,7-9) pitched the complete game and struck out six while yielding 12 hits, four earned ones, and one walk.  Paton Speckel (L, 3-13) suffered the loss in game one and struck out two and surrendered nine hits, six runs, and walked two.

In game two, the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off of a wild pitch and never looked back in the second game shut-out.  

UW-Platteville tallied two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Cassandra Laabs singled to center field to score two runs and give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead with three innings to go.

Abby Burns (W, 7-6) got the win and struck out two, allowed eight hits and two walks.  With two on base and no outs in the seventh inning, Hoeppner returned to the circle for her second save of the season.  Hannah Stegeman (L, 2-7) suffered the loss and pitched 3.2 innings and surrendered three hits, three runs, and four walks.

Alejandra Ochoa went 2-for-three with two runs scored in game two to lead the Pioneers.

The Pioneers are scheduled to return to action on Sunday in Platteville when they host UW-La Crosse on Senior Day at noon and 2 p.m. for their last scheduled regular season games.