Pioneer Pitching Shuts Down Titans

Bill Oppriecht and Adam Theis combined for 19 strikeouts and just one earned run to give UW-Platteville a baseball sweep over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (April 28) in Platteville.

While their pitchers fired complete games, the Pioneers (8-25/4-14 WIAC) earned victories of 11-1 and 8-2. UW-Platteville's 2-3-4 hitters in the lineup combined for 12 hits and 10 runs batted in, featuring six RBI from cleanup man Trevor Kattre.

The turning point in the opener was a seven-run third inning by the Pioneers. A trio of singles loaded the bases for Levi Ney, who knocked home one run. Kevin Fessler later posted a two-run single, while Jon Lewerke and Steve Wolke each gained a RBI to make it 7-1.

UW-Oshkosh (13-20/9-13 WIAC) marked its lone tally in the third when Tyler Kamps (Jr. • Appleton) walked, stole second base and scored on Jake Dostalek's (So. • Waterford) single. The Titans attained four hits in the contest and stranded two runners during the second frame.

Run-scoring triples from Ney in the fourth and Kattre in the sixth added to the scoring total. Ney finished the game with three hits and three runs scored.

Oppriecht struck out 10 batters while tossing all seven innings. Luke Westphal (Sr. • Clintonville) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on 13 hits over six frames.

The nightcap was a pitchers duel, with neither team putting two men on base until the seventh inning. Cody Luther tripled to open the UW-Platteville sixth. He then took a 1-0 lead by scoring on a Ney groundout.

During the seventh, the Titans responded with two runs on three hits. Alex Mullendore (Sr. • Glendale Heights, Ill.) posted a bunt single, and Kyle Van Abel (Sr. • Kaukauna) scored on the play thanks to an error. Doug Beattie (Jr. • Escanaba, Mich.) then put UW-Oshkosh on top, 2-1, with a single to centerfield.

That cushion didn't last because the Pioneers booked a four-run frame in the bottom half. Matt Wells (Jr. • Little Chute) entered to pitch for the Titans, but he walked three straight batters. UW-Platteville then scored on a wild pitch, hit batter and two more walks to take a 5-2 lead.

Kattre, who marked two hits and three runs batted in during the game, smacked a two-run double during the eighth for some insurance. Theis earned the pitching win with nine innings, nine strikeouts and zero earned runs.

Wells suffered the loss with three earned runs while getting two outs. Travis Sindles (So. • Twin Lakes) started and allowed two earned runs with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its WIAC schedule against UW-Platteville on Sunday (April 29).