Softball to open WIAC Postseason at UW-Eau Claire

Platteville, Wis.- For the third straight week, a University of Wisconsin-Platteville athletic team will compete in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason. The Pioneer softball team (16-16, 7-7 WIAC) will travel to UW-Eau Claire (22-16, 8-6 WIAC) on Tuesday, May 11 to open the WIAC Softball Championship (presented by Culver's). The Pioneers and Blugolds split a conference doubleheader on Friday, May 7.

The Pioneers finished the regular season, dropping a pair of one-run non-conference games to UW-Whitewater before splitting with the Blugolds. The Warhawks scored one in the top of the eighth to get the opener 6-5, before scoring one in the top of the seventh to take the night cap 2-1.

The Pioneers would drop game one at UW-Eau Claire in a similar fashion, allowing a run in the bottom of the seventh to drop the contest 5-4. The Pioneers didn't allow the Blugolds any chance in the nightcap. The Pioneers opened the first with four runs, added a run in the third, and scored four more in the sixth to win 9-0.

The Blugolds pitching staff came into the doubleheader leading the WIAC in strikeouts with 158. In 64 plate appearances, the Bluegolds did not register one strikeout against the Pioneer hitters.

Fresh off the WIAC Kwik Trip Pitcher of the Week, sophomore Claire Bakkestuen is in the running for WIAC Kwik Trip Position Player of the Week. In four games, Bakkestuen hit .485 with three homeruns and six RBIs. She slugged 1.273 for the week. Bakkestuen is hitting .309 on the season and leads the Pioneers with eight homeruns and 26 RBIs. She is third in the WIAC in homeruns.

Senior Shannon Gaul leads the Pioneers with a .383 batting average. As a team, the Pioneers are hitting .300. Senior Hali Cota, senior Abby Burns, junior Rachel Plautz and junior Angela Laabs are hitting over .300 on the year.

The Pioneer pitching staff enters the postseason with a 3.36 ERA, good for third in the WIAC. Bakkestuen leads the Pioneers with a 2.70 ERA. Senior Ashton Hoeppner has a 3.50 ERA after throwing a complete game shutout in the nightcap at UW-Eau Claire.

The Blugolds come into the postseason with a .333 batting average and lead the WIAC in homeruns with 38. Sadie Erickson leads the Blugolds with a .492 average and nine homeruns.

Madi Zerr is 7-7 for the Blugold and leads the team with a 3.50 ERA. UW-Eau Claire comes in with a team ERA of 4.31.

To follow the WIAC Softball Championship, visit www.Wiacsports.com. To follow the remaining spring action for the Pioneers, visit www.Letsgopioneers.com for links for live stats, postgame recaps and links for the contests that are live streamed. Follow the official social media accounts of Pioneer Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.