After improving their record to 5-3 with a doubleheader sweep of Blackburn College March 19, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team went winless in six games over the university’s spring break, falling to 5-9 on the year.

The Pioneers first scheduled game over the break against Monmouth College March 22 was cancelled due to snow.

UW-Platteville lost a double header the next day to Augustana College 5-0 and 1-0.  In game one, Pioneers senior pitcher Bill Oppriecht pitched all six innings, picking up his second loss of the year.  Freshman designated hitter George Jester III and junior first baseman Zach Demmon accounted for all four Pioneer hits, recording two each.

In game two, the Pioneers were again blanked, as senior pitcher Adam Theis took his second loss of the year in the complete-game performance.

UW-Platteville’s offense was finally able to generate runs March 25 in Memphis, Tenn., against Rhodes College, but it was still not enough as the Pioneers fell 5-4.  The Pioneers took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on the strength of two Lynx errors.  The Lynx scored two runs in their half of the fourth and took the lead for good in the seventh with a home run by Lynx junior Patrick Kilkenny.

The Pioneers were blown out 13-1 against Millsaps College March 26 in Jackson, Miss.  The Pioneer offense was limited to just three hits as sophomore pitcher Mike Boushley suffered his first loss of the year.

In a rematch against Millsaps the next day, the Pioneers again lost, falling 7-1. Oppriecht again picked up the loss, allowing five runs (one unearned) in 6.2 innings of work.  Jester III went 2-4 with an RBI in the loss.

The spring break finale March 28 against Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., was a tightly contested affair that the Pioneers lost 9-8 in 13 innings.  After six innings, the Pioneers found themselves down 8-2. In their half of the seventh, the Pioneers pushed across six runs, powered by a two-RBI single by senior catcher Topher Scheeler.  Both teams were held scoreless for six and a half innings before Hendrix’s centerfielder Collin Radack brought home the win with an RBI double.

The Pioneers’ home debut scheduled for Monday was postponed due to weather.

The Pioneers began conference play Wednesday with a double header at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and will make their home debut in a pair of double headers this weekend at Kendall Murray Field against University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.