The past week was a tough one for the UW-Platteville women’s softball team. They played some of the toughest competition they will face all year and although they won only two of the six games they played, the gained valuable experience which will help them down the road.

Photograph by Emily Yttri
Pioneer senior pitcher Maggie Medlicott pitches against the University of Dubuque on April 15. UW-P was swept in the doubleheader and has a weekend trip to face off against UW-River Falls on April 26 and UW-Stout on April 27.

The Pioneers started off the week against the 25th ranked Pointers of UW-Stevens Point on the road. A talented UW-SP team got all they wanted from the Pioneers in the matinee outlasting UW-P by the final of 14-13. In what turned out to be slugfest, the Pointers simply had more in the tank in the end in a game that featured eight home runs. Going yard for the Pioneers were second baseman Tera Burr, shortstop Nikki Hansen, first baseman Lindsay Weigand and centerfielder Becky Swanson.

The game was an uphill battle as UW-P climbed out of deficit after defecit but could not mount one last charge in the 7th inning. The game proved that they could play with one of the country’s best teams and provided some of the team’s young players an opportunity to test themselves. In the nightcap, a spirited Pointer effort led to a 9-1 win battering freshman pitcher Katie Sutter. The game ended early as a result of the eight-run rule.

The Pioneer softball team brought their best against UW-Superior on April 19 in remembrance of Jenny Walter. Walter was a Pioneer shortstop before her life was taken from her by a drunk driver in December of 1996. In honor of Jenny and her family, the team spelled out her name and jersey number out on styrofoam cups in the fence of Pioneer field as well as let her father throw out the first pitch. The team signed the ball and took a team picture to give to Walter’s family.

When it came time to play ball, the Pioneers brought their best, the first game a 6-0 win and the second at 9-0 win. The Pioneers followed a dominant pitching performance from senior Maggie Medlicott who pitched only the program’s seventh ever no hitter.

She sat down Yellowjacket batter after Yellowjacket batter until she snagged a line drive for the game’s final out.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers proved the first game was no fluke dominating to a win in only five innings. Leading the Pioneers bringing their lumber was freshman pitcher Katie Sutter who smacked a first inning grand slam to jump start the Pioneer offense. Sutter also showed her prowess on the mound allowing only three hits in what was one of the more dominant performances of the season for UW-P.

“Everything was going right,’ Becky Swanson, senior outfielder, said. “Pitching was amazing, two shut-outs in one day is just amazing.’

The wins against Superior helped UW-P get off of a six game losing streak dating back to their games agaist Augustana College on April 13. Losing both of those games against the Vikings 9-8 and 2-1 were followed by another doubleheader sweep against Mississippi River rival University of Dubuque. The games against Augustana stung because both were such cloes losses for the Pioneers.

“It was a tough game,’ junior second-base player Tera Burr, said. “They strung more hits together. It was a good learning experience.’

The Pioneers were also facing five different pitchers at Augustana and they are a good hitting team which made them a tough opponent.

The Pioneers played UW-Eau Claire after their victory against Superior. The match-up did not end up how the Pioneers hoped with another doubleheader sweep with a 10-4 extra innings win follwoed by a 12-8 decision in the second game. The Pioneers played well in both games but couldn’t break through for a WIAC win

“It was a rocky start,’ Swanson said, ” We came back but it wasn’t enough.’

The Pioneers are looking to change their standings both overall and in conference. Currently they sit at 10-16 overall and 4-5 in the WIAC. With upcoming games against UW-Whitewater and River Falls the road doesn’t get any easier for the Pioneers.

“We have all the talent in the world, we just have to put it together,’ Swanson said.

Coach Heather Townsend’s goal for the team is to “win every game’ for the rest of the season and “finish above .500′ as an overall average.