Softball opens season with two wins at Peoria Invite

PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville softball team opened its 2023 season with a pair of wins Thursday at the Peoria Invite. The Pioneers started the day with a 6-2 victory over Mount Mary and then recorded a five-innings 10-0 shutout over Knox College in game two. 

Over 12 innings, the Pioneers totaled 17 hits, 16 runs, 12 RBI and just one error. 

Against Mount Mary, UW-Platteville took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring on an error and then a single by sophomore Taylor Roughen. The Pioneers doubled their lead one inning later off another error followed by a SAC fly to left field. Sophomore Lauren Heuberger added a fifth run in the third inning, drilling one into center field to run freshman Greta Volkening home. The Blue Angels got on the board in the fourth and added another in the sixth off a homerun, but the Pioneers scored the final run of the day in the bottom of the sixth thanks to another error by Mount Mary. 

Senior Claire Bakkestuen (1-0) started the day in the circle and struck out nine in 5.2 innings pitched while giving up four hits and two runs and walking two Blue Angels. Roughen got the save. 

Brianna Lupa pitched six innings for Mount Mary, striking out four while allowing six hits, one earned run and three batters walked. 

Bats really warmed up in the second game of the day as the Pioneers tallied 11 hits to Knox's three in five innings. Bakkestuen went 3-of-3 while sophomore Jordan Johnson was 2-of-2 for five RBI. 

Johnson registered the first RBI of the game on a single to left field to score senior Amanda Stanczuk in the top of the first. Johnson homered in the third inning to drive in three more and give the Pioneers a 4-0 lead. Other highlights included RBI doubles by junior Peyton Marvin and Bakkenstuen as the Pioneers built up a 10-0 lead to run-rule the game in five innings. 

Roughen (1-0) struck out four of 10 batters faced in the first three innings pitched, maintaining a no-hitter in the circle. Freshman Jaena Michalak relieved Roughen in the fourth and freshman Sandra Costa closed out the day, recording one strikeout and surrendering one hit. 

Mimi Schweitzer pitched the first four innings for the Prairie Fire, striking out two batters while allowing eight hits, eight earned runs and two walks. Londyn Nelson relieved Schweitzer in the fifth inning and allowed three hits and one run. 

The Pioneers will face Edgewood College at 10 a.m. and Elmhurst at 12:30 p.m. on Friday in day two of the tournament. 

*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a $3 Pioneer burger the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.