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UW-Platteville stuns DI Northern Iowa
Mar 26, 2008
Press Release posted by UW-Platteville Permalink
On paper, Wednesday's baseball game looked like a mismatch. NCAA Division I Northern Iowa was on a six-game winning streak, having stopped Ohio State 12-8 and sweeping Northwestern in a doubleheader. NCAA III UW-Platteville brought in a three-game losing streak in which the Pioneers were outscored 42-11.
Fortunately, the game was played not on paper but on the Panthers' Riverfront Stadium, where the Pioneers won a 9-4 stunner.
"Going into the game, from a coaching standpoint, we wanted to be competitive, play a full nine-inning game and put ourselves in a position to win," UWP Coach Eric Frese said. "Northern Iowa is a legitimate DI program with high quality wins. It was a good team win for us, and everyone came together."
UWP used a seven-run fourth inning to record one of the biggest wins in program history. Eight Pioneer pitchers combined to hold UNI to four runs, almost three below its average.
The Pioneers spotted the Panthers a 2-0 lead, then tied the score in the third on Ross Bennett's two-run single through the right side. UWP exploded for seven runs in the fourth,. Mike Kuhn walked, Matt Paulus was hit by a pitch, and Gabe Neitzel singled to load the bases. A wild pitch and a Brett Benesh groundout brought home two runs for a 4-2 lead. Nick Aplin was hit by a pitch, and then the Pioneers strung together four straight hits. Jerod Haxton had an RBI single, Bennett hit a two-run double, Mike Flood smashed another two-bagger and Kuhn singled home Flood to make the count 9-2.
"After we put up that seven spot, you could feel it in the dugout," Frese said. "Our pitching staff did great, and we played good defense. We didn't commit an error all game."
Frese's pitchers made the lead hold up. Joe Cox, Kyle Mack, Corey Connolly, Aaron Daniels, Jay Lindner, Mike Davis, Kyle Brudos and Joe Lange all threw effective innings for the Pioneers, with only Lange tossing two frames. Connolly earned his first victory of the season with a scoreless third. Daniels retired the only three batters he faced in the fourth, striking out two, and Brudos pitched a hitless seventh, leaving Lange to pitch the final two innings.
Bennett and Flood each had two hits for the Pioneers, who improved to 6-6.
The Panthers (10-9) used six pitchers and were led offensively by Deric Manrique and Levi Ferguson with three hits apiece. Dane Embry hit a solo home run in the fifth.
"It's a big win for us," Frese said. "It definitely feels good to beat such a good program. Our kids stepped it up and played at a high level."
The Pioneers are scheduled to open Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday and Sunday vs. UW-Stout at Kendall Murray Field. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1:30 p.m., while Sunday's twinbill is scheduled to go at noon.
Fortunately, the game was played not on paper but on the Panthers' Riverfront Stadium, where the Pioneers won a 9-4 stunner.
"Going into the game, from a coaching standpoint, we wanted to be competitive, play a full nine-inning game and put ourselves in a position to win," UWP Coach Eric Frese said. "Northern Iowa is a legitimate DI program with high quality wins. It was a good team win for us, and everyone came together."
UWP used a seven-run fourth inning to record one of the biggest wins in program history. Eight Pioneer pitchers combined to hold UNI to four runs, almost three below its average.
The Pioneers spotted the Panthers a 2-0 lead, then tied the score in the third on Ross Bennett's two-run single through the right side. UWP exploded for seven runs in the fourth,. Mike Kuhn walked, Matt Paulus was hit by a pitch, and Gabe Neitzel singled to load the bases. A wild pitch and a Brett Benesh groundout brought home two runs for a 4-2 lead. Nick Aplin was hit by a pitch, and then the Pioneers strung together four straight hits. Jerod Haxton had an RBI single, Bennett hit a two-run double, Mike Flood smashed another two-bagger and Kuhn singled home Flood to make the count 9-2.
"After we put up that seven spot, you could feel it in the dugout," Frese said. "Our pitching staff did great, and we played good defense. We didn't commit an error all game."
Frese's pitchers made the lead hold up. Joe Cox, Kyle Mack, Corey Connolly, Aaron Daniels, Jay Lindner, Mike Davis, Kyle Brudos and Joe Lange all threw effective innings for the Pioneers, with only Lange tossing two frames. Connolly earned his first victory of the season with a scoreless third. Daniels retired the only three batters he faced in the fourth, striking out two, and Brudos pitched a hitless seventh, leaving Lange to pitch the final two innings.
Bennett and Flood each had two hits for the Pioneers, who improved to 6-6.
The Panthers (10-9) used six pitchers and were led offensively by Deric Manrique and Levi Ferguson with three hits apiece. Dane Embry hit a solo home run in the fifth.
"It's a big win for us," Frese said. "It definitely feels good to beat such a good program. Our kids stepped it up and played at a high level."
The Pioneers are scheduled to open Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday and Sunday vs. UW-Stout at Kendall Murray Field. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1:30 p.m., while Sunday's twinbill is scheduled to go at noon.