The Pioneers’ season comes to an end in the WIAC Semifinal

Photo courtesy of Steve Frommell

OSHKOSH, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh softball team put an end to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's season with a 3-1 Titan victory in the WIAC Championship (presented by Culver's) semifinal. Thursday's game at UW-Oshkosh's Softball Field marked the first time since 2012 that the Pioneers advanced to the semifinal of the conference tournament.

The day marked the final game for a team of four seniors who finished their careers 58-54 with two trips to the WIAC post-season tournament. Shannon Gaul hammered out another home run for a season total of seven to give the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Ashton Hoeppner started in her 63^rd game for the Pioneers and pitched a complete game which included five innings without a single hit. Abby Burns and Alejandra Ochoa led off in the one and two spots for the Pioneers in the season finale.

"Softball is a game of inches and the inches weren't on our side today," said UW-Platteville head coach Becca Lowe. "I'm so proud and extremely grateful to have crossed paths with these four seniors who have changed this Pioneer softball program. We will miss them dearly, but their legacy lives forever."

For the second game in row, Gaul started the scoring off with a home run and early 1-0 lead in the first frame. Hoeppner and the Pioneers retired the Titans in order for the first three innings.

The game took a turn in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Titans tallied their only hits of the game. UW-Oshkosh scored three runs off four hits and an error. UW-Platteville put an end to the hot inning as Hoeppner struck out the second-to-last batter of the inning before the final Titan retired off a fielder's choice leaving three Titans on base.

The Pioneers managed to tally two more hits in the fifth inning with neither team getting into scoring position after the fifth frame.

Hoeppner (7-10) suffered the loss while giving up all four hits of the game in the fourth inning. The senior struck out five and walked two Titans and allowed two earned runs. Oshkosh's Maddie Fink (14-3) took the win and struck out seven while walking one and allowing four hits and one run.

Hoeppner ends her career for the orange and blue holding the school records of career strikeouts (356), strikeouts in a season (150) and saves in a season (5).

The Pioneers conclude their season 17-17 overall while the Titans improve to 22-10. UW-Oshkosh will host UW-Whitewater this weekend in the best-of-three final of the WIAC Championship (presented by Culver's).