Pioneers walk it off twice to sweep Blugolds

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team marked another program first Sunday afternoon with a WIAC sweep of UW-Eau Claire. To make the day that much sweeter, both 5-4 victories finished in walk-off fashion, first with a triple to left center by Lauren Heuberger and secondly when Madison Hughes was hit by pitch with bases loaded and two outs. 

The Pioneers (11-11, 3-1 WIAC) trailed to  start both games as the Blugolds (15-7, 1-3 WIAC) struck fast and took early leads in the first inning of both contests. In the first game, two runs in the 1^st  frame and another in both the 3^rd and 4^th gave UW-Eau Claire a 4-0 lead after 3.5 innings. The Pioneers started their comeback in the bottom of the 4^th when three consecutive singles loaded the bases. Calista Fuehrer pinch hit and was hit to walk in one run. Two at-bats and two outs later, Claire Bakkestuen stepped up and drilled a double to bat in three runs to tie the game. 

The game remained locked at 4-4 going into the 7^th inning and three up and three down at the top of the frame gave UW-Platteville the opportunity for a walk-off. With one out, Riley Kelsch doubled to left field. Hailie Cota was called out on a dropped infield fly, leaving the opportunity for Heuberger to hit a triple off the fence for the walk-off win. 

The Blugolds scored early again in game two and took a 1-0 lead, but the Pioneers avoided further damage and left three Blugolds stranded to go into the bottom of the 1^st. UW-Eau Claire added another in the 4^th and one more in the 6^th to take a 3-0 lead.  

It was time to then break out the rally caps in the bottom of the 6th and Angela Laabs started the comeback with a single to center field to bat in one run. With two outs on the board and a runner on third thanks to an error by UW-Eau Claire's shortstop, Rachel Plautz reached first on another throwing error by the second baseman which resulted in two more runs to tie the game 3-3. 

The Blugolds scored one run off a SAC fly in the 7^th, but the Pioneers tied it up once again, this time with one out in the bottom of the final frame. With bases loaded, UW-Eau Claire tallied a second out, but before they could send it into extra innings, Hughes was hit by a pitch and Kelsch ran in her second walk-off run scored of the day. 

Jordan Johnson (5-1) took the win in the circle in game one, striking out one, walking three and allowing four hits and two runs. Bakkestuen was credited the save in game one and finished the final three innings striking out four, walking none and allowing no hits or runs scored. 

Bakkestuen (4-3) then went on to pitch a complete second game and struck out six, walked one and surrendered 11 hits and four earned runs. 

The Pioneers will return to action and the UW-Platteville Softball Complex on Thursday, April 14 for a non-conference doubleheader against Loras College starting a 3 p.m.