The University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team beat UW-Superior and earned a program-best 12 wins in a row.
The Pioneers swept the Yellowjackets on April 11 with victories of 8-4 and 11-4, and continued their roll on April 12, 12-11 and 9-4.
“It’s tough to take four from anyone,” junior catcher Todd Wienkes said.
Wienkes said that he is confident in his team and thinks they have potential to do something that has never been done before in their conference. Leading the conference with a 6-0 record, the Pioneers are off to one of their best starts in program history through the first 22 games.
Head coach Eric Frese said he was very pleased with the way his team played over the weekend. He was especially proud of the way his pitching staff performed against the Yellowjackets despite two Pioneer pitchers being injured.
Freshman pitcher Nathan Fay earned the first win going six innings, giving up three earned runs, walking three and striking out five. Sophomore Eric Curtis, with the help of three others, earned the second win through 5.2 innings on the mound. Freshman Riley Vandenberg earned the third win, giving up four hits and one earned run through 3.2 innings. Senior Trevor Hall garnered his first save of the year going to work in the seventh and holding off the Yellowjackets through the final three innings. Junior Austin Daniels (4-2) pitched all nine innings of the final game, giving up eight hits, four earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts.
Frese said two wins in one day is a good day and his team was able to pull out two wins, two days in a row. Frese said that he hopes his team will be able to continue their record-breaking winning streak throughout the season.
“Take one day at a time and the rest will take care of itself,” said Frese.
Junior center fielder Tanner Galeazzi went 3-15, earned two RBIs, four runs and was walked three times over the four-game weekend. He leads the team in runs for the year with 24 and is fourth on the team with an on-base percentage of .394.
“I like the way the team is playing,” said Galeazzi.
He also said that he is excited for the Pioneers’ game against UW-Stout on April 15. The Pioneers will be traveling to UW-Stout to play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils are currently 13-8 overall and 1-5 in the WIAC.