A tough Loras team defeated the Pioneer softball team at a home double-header.

The Pioneers were swept in the series on April 22. The first game ended in the fifth inning with a score of 11-2 Loras.

Loras led off the first game by scoring the first homerun in the top of the second inning. Loras scored two more times before the Pioneers got the scoreboard.

Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning which brought the score to 3-2. Loras responded in the top of the fourth inning with a grand slam bringing the score to 8-2. Loras scored a few more times after the grand slam bringing the game to end with a final score of 11-2.

Losing the double header does not affect the rest of the season because it wasn’t a conference game. Head coach Lee Negrilli said the team was trying to build some momentum going into the Whitewater game.

“It wasn’t a huge impact series or anything like that,” said Negrilli. “We were going to have to play out of our shoes better than we have all season to beat Whitewater.”

After this series, the Pioneers plan on working on their defensive communication. Negrilli said that they didn’t communicate well on the field during the game.

The Pioneers did do well at the plate batting. A lot of the women on the team went three for four or two for three at the plate. Platteville got 12 hits, eight of them during second game.

“They were producing at the plate,” said Negrilli, “It was just our pitching and defense that let us down.”

Next season will be a rebuilding year for the Pioneers. The team is graduating four seniors and will start from scratch with the players from last season mentoring the new incoming freshman.