Pioneers snap Warhawks’ seven-game win streak with WIAC split

WHITEWATER, Wis. –University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball's hot hitting in game one Wednesday afternoon handed the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater its first home loss of the season. The Pioneers notched out 16 hits in game one in route to a 7-6 victory and added nine more in their 6-3 loss in game two.

Senior Shannon Gaul paced the Pioneers in the first game going 4-for-4 and batting in three including a single RBI homerun in the top of the 5^th inning.

UW-Platteville was first to score with Gaul and sophomore Claire Bakkestuen each tallying a RBI for a 2-0 Pioneer lead after the 1^st inning.  Senior Alejandra Ochoa drove in another in the 2^nd inning to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Warhawks rallied and scored four in the 4^th inning to take the lead, but Gaul's homerun evened the score 4-4 going into the 6^th inning. Junior Rachel Plautz singled for two RBIs before advancing to second on an error by the centerfielder and then to third on a wild pitch. Gaul was next up to the plate and added another single to right field to run in Plautz and the Pioneers to extend the lead to 7-4. 

The Warhawks added two in the 6^th but left a runner on third base in the bottom of the 7^th for the Pioneers to lock in the game one victory.

Bakkestuen (2-2) earned the win in game one after relieving senior Ashton Hoeppner in the 4^th inning. Hoeppner returned to the circle in the bottom of the 6^th for her second save of the season. Hoeppner struck out two, walked three, and surrendered five hits and four runs. Marissa Adams (0-1) suffered the loss and struck out one and gave up five hits and four runs in 1.1 innings.

The Warhawks were first on the board and took off to a four-run lead after four innings in game two. Plautz cut the lead in half with a 2RBI homerun in the top of the 5^th, but UW-Whitewater regained the four-run advantage shortly after with two of its own in the bottom of the 5^th. Plautz batted in one more run in the top of the 6^th before UW-Whitewater would hold on for the 6-3 victory in game two and the conference split.

Rhiann Dick (3-2) got the win in the circle for the Warhawks striking out three and walking three in 4.2 innings while surrendering six hits and two runs. Abby Burns (1-2) suffered the loss and struck out one and walked one in 4.2 innings while allowing seven hits and six runs.

The Pioneers move to 7-7 overall and 2-2 in the WIAC while UW-Whitewater is now 11-5 and 1-1 in the league. Next up, UW-Platteville will travel to UW-River Falls on Friday for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.