It is often said that you cannot have thunder without lightning. And in the case of the UW-Platteville baseball team, thunder and lightning are the driving forces for the team. The lightning arm of Joe Lange and the thunderous bat of Ross Bennett have led the team throughout the 2008 season.

Photograph by Kyle Seyfferth

Lange, a junior from East Dubuque, Ill., and the ace of the Pioneer pitching rotation, has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of the WIAC. He leads the Pioneers in most major pitching categories including wins, strikeouts, innings pitched and complete games.

Lange leads the conference in innings pitched and is currently second in strikeouts with 60 on the season including a career-high 13 against UW-Superior on April 27. His 3.32 ERA is sixth in the conference and cements him as one of the top pitchers in the conference and all of the country.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities over the last two years and that has helped my experience level get higher,” Lange said. “Coach Frese has been helping me with my mechanics and that has helped me a lot this season. I’m working on doing the little things right.”

Lange has been a leader with the entire pitching staff that at times has struggled with consistency. “We try to help each other out any chance we get, but we also really rely on the coaches to help us out.”

“Joe is confident. He is very competitive on the mound,” assistant coach, Jason Watson, said. “He doesn’t think that anyone can beat him when he is pitching.”

With a fastball that routinely hits the upper 80-mph range and two more plus pitches, a curve and a change, Lange hopes to one day take his game to the next level.

“I’d love to play as long as I can. In the immediate future I just want to keep progressing with the team and playing well,” Lange said.

While pitching wins championships, hitting is what brings fans in, and with Bennett, a senior from Mequon, the Pioneers have one of the most exciting players in all of the conference. Bennett leads the Pioneers with a .370 batting average and is tied for the team lead in runs, home runs and triples. He also leads the team in hits, doubles and total bases.

Just like Lange, he is among the conference leaders in several categories. He ranks tenth in batting average and eleventh in on-base percentage and hits and is fourth in stolen bases. This all-around performance on the offensive end has led to Bennett being moved around the lineup to take advantage of his unique skill set.

“When I go up to the plate I’m just looking to hit the ball hard somewhere,” Bennett said. This is evident when you see his approach at the plate where many of his hits are hard smashes through the infield. When he reaches base he is a threat to steal at any time. “I play with confidence all the time.”

“His strength is his biggest asset. This leads to him having an edge on everybody we play against,” Watson said.

Photograph by Jodie Krautkramer

In the field, Bennett is equally as dangerous, as he is one of the best centerfielders in the country, and his pre-season All-American status confirms this. This is his first season playing exclusively in center field and his speed and strong arm have been put to use already.

“Both have such a good work ethic. That’s what makes them good,” Watson said. “They have a desire to win.”

Both players have been incredibly important to the veteran Pioneer team that has underperformed to this point in the season. That can all turn on May 2 – 3 when UW-P hosts the Titans of UW-Oshkosh in a defining weekend series. The Pioneers must win three of four games if they hope to make the WIAC tournament. This is a tough task knowing that UW-O is ranked 14th in Division III.

With the combination of Lange and Bennett there may just be the right storm brewing to knock off a talented Titan squad.

“We need to play more consistently, and playing better defensively, pitching better and throwing strikes will do that for us,” Bennett said.

“If we play lights out and play good baseball we can play with anyone,” Lange said. “If we play our best baseball which we haven’t done yet and help each other out, we can win.”