Pioneers split with Falcons in season opener
MEQUON, Wis. - Exactly 365 days after the University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team had their 2020 season cut short, the Pioneers opened the 2021 season 1-1 after splitting today's doubleheader (W 5-4, L 4-3) at Concordia University-Wisconsin. Claire Bakkestuen and Abby Burns both homered in game one with Burns' 2 RBI in-the-park HR in the top of the 7th giving the Pioneers the lead and win at a modified Kapco Park.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wis.-Platteville
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
|
Concordia Wisconsin
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | X | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wis.-Platteville
|
1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
|
Concordia Wisconsin
|
1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
MEQUON, Wis. - Exactly 365 days after the University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team had their 2020 season cut short, the Pioneers opened the 2021 season 1-1 after splitting today's doubleheader (W 5-4, L 4-3) at Concordia University-Wisconsin. Claire Bakkestuen and Abby Burns both homered in game one with Burns' 2 RBI in-the-park HR in the top of the 7th giving the Pioneers the lead and win at a modified Kapco Park.
"It was a great day to be back on the field!" said head coach Becca Lowe. "The girls were focused and on fire. We put the ball in play and did a great job hitting to the opposite field. A few things to clean up on with two outs on defense, but overall a great day, especially at the plate. Excited to see more growth this season."
Overall, the Pioneers tallied 13 hits, eight runs, and just one error. The Falcons entered the day not only undefeated, but had also shutout all opponents prior to UW-Platteville. Burns finished the day 4-for-7 with two RBIs while Bakkestuen went 3-for-8 with three RBIs in the doubleheader.
In game one, the Pioneers and Falcons were knotted 3-3 going into the seventh inning, but Burns' inside-the-park home run to right field scored Haili Cota and the senior Pioneer. Concordia was able to score one run in the bottom of the inning, but the tying run was left on base when Cota caught the third out in right field to secure the 5-4 UW-Platteville win.
Ashton Hoeppner (1-0) led the Pioneers to vicory and pitched all seven innings striking out four while allowing four runs and 10 hits. Gina Followell (0-1) suffered the loss for the Falcons tallying five strikeouts and giving up four hits and three runs. Followell was relieved after four innings by Alyssa Vilkoski who struck out one and gave up two runs and two hits.
In game two, the teams stayed tied 1-1 after the 1st inning until Kristen Fontana singled up the middle in the bottom of the 5th to score the runner before being called out at second. Concordia led 2-1 going into the bottom of the 6th and added two more insurance runs off a wild pitch and then a single up the middle.
Trailing 4-1 at the top of the 7th, the Pioneers started with a double to left field by Cassandra Laabs followed by Rachel Plautz and a triple to right center to score the runner. With one out, Alejandra Ochoa's SAC fly to right filed scored Plautz and the Pioneers had narrowed the Falcons's lead to 4-3 with the day's two leading batters, Burns and Bakkestuen, up and on deck. Burns walked to have the tying run on base, but the final out of the day came when Bakkestuen flew out to right field and Concordia won game two 4-3.
Bakkestuen (0-1) led the Pioneers at the plate in game two going 2-for-4 with one RBI, but also took the loss facing 26 batters, striking out four and giving up 10 hits and four runs.
Nicki Becker (1-0) took the win for Concordia Wis. (3-1) in game two and struck out four of 30 batters faced while allowing three runs and seven hits.
The Pioneers (1-1) will return to action on Tuesday, March 16 when they travel to Coe College for another non-conference doubleheader with game one set to start at 2 p.m.