Pioneers Take Warhawks to Extra Innings on Senior Day

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team battled it out in back-to-back, one-run losses to UW-Whitewater on senior day. The opener went into extra innings where the Warhawks pulled away for a 6-5 win and the visitors held on for a narrow 2-1 win in the nightcap. Prior to the non-conference doubleheader, the Pioneers (15-15 overall) recognized the 2021 senior class which included Abby Burns, Shannon Gaul, Ashton Hoeppner, Alejandra Ochoa and Haili Cota.

Senior pitcher Hoeppner, who surpassed the UW-Platteville career record for strikeouts last week, added seven strikeouts to her portfolio for a career total of 336 which surpassed the 306 mark previously set by Tina Davies ('96).

In game one, UW-Whitewater (24-8 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off an RBI double. The Pioneers answered back in fitting fashion with an RBI single by senior Gaul who ran in fellow senior Burns to even the score. UW-Platteville added two more runs before the first inning drew to a close. One run scored on a throwing error by the third baseman and an RBI single by junior Angela Laabs extended the lead to 3-1.

The Pioneers held the two-run lead for the next four innings and both teams held eachother to three hits apiece during that same stretch. In the sixth, the Warhawks took a 4-3 advantage off a two RBI triple and ground out to second base.

The Warhawk lead was short-lived thanks to sophomore Claire Bakkestuen who opened the bottom of the sixth with the first home run of the day. UW-Platteville reclaimed the lead once again later in the inning off an RBI double by sophomore Amanda Stanczuk.

UW-Whitewater tallied the tying run in the seventh frame to take the opener to extra innings. Leadoff, Vera Pflugradt, hit an RBI single which would be enough for the Warhawks to take the lead and secure the 6-5 win.

In the nightcap, the teams took blank slates and a combined three hits into the fifth inning. Three up and three down in the top of the frame, the Pioneers managed to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning after Burns grounded out to first base and ran in junior Riley Kelsch.

The Warhawks knotted the score 1-1 after a homerun to start the sixth inning. UW-Whitewater then took the lead off a triple by Pflugradt and that would give the Warhawk her second go-ahead hit of the day.

Gaul led the Pioneers in game one going 2-for-4 while Cota led UW-Platteville in the nightcap and went 2-for-3.

Hoeppner and Bakkestuen split time in the circle for the Pioneers in Tuesday's doubleheader. Hoeppner (6-9) pitched seven innings in game one and struck out six and walked one while giving up 13 hits and six runs. Bakkestuen (5-3) relieved Hoeppner in the eighth inning and suffered the loss striking out two and allowing one hit in the extra inning. Bakkestuen led off the nightcap and pitched six innings striking out two, walking two and surrendering four hits and one run. Hoeppner threw relief in the final inning and suffered the loss allowing one hit and one run while striking out one and walking one.

The doubleheader extended the Warhawks' win-streak to eight games and they currently sit in second place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Pioneers sit tied for fifth in the league and will return to action for the final two games on the regular season schedule at UW-Eau Claire. First pitch of the WIAC doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m.