UW-Platteville's four-game baseball winning streak came to a crashing halt Sunday, as Clarke College beat the Pioneers 6-4 in Farley, Iowa.
The Pioneers entered the game with a .309 batting average but were held to one run through seven innings by starter Kyle Wenzelman. Mike Flood's home run down the left-field line gave UWP a 1-0 lead in the third.
Flood's blast appeared all that starter Bill Bulaga may need, as he had a no-hitter into the fifth before things literally came crashing down on the Pioneers. Scott Dybevik made a great effort but ran into the left-field wall, trying in vain to track down Travis Buhs' double. The Crusaders' first hit tied the score at 1-1, and eventually sent Dybevik to the hospital for stitches to close cuts on his face.
After a lengthy delay, Richard Diaz and Luis Goyco hit RBI singles, chasing Bulaga and giving Clarke a 3-1 lead.
The Crusaders extended the lead to 6-1 on Hector Burgos' three-run double in the seventh.
The Pioneers finally got things rolling in the eighth with four hits and three runs. Flood and Brandon Ihm singled, and both came home on Jason Watson's double. Pinch-hitter Nick Aplin singled home Watson, but then Wenzelman got out of the jam. Randy Rosa pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
The Pioneeers fell to 6-4 on the year, while Clarke improved to 4-11.
Notes: the Pioneers' Kyle Brudos extended his scoreless pitching streak to six appearances with a perfect eight inning ... both teams had seven hits ... Ross Bennett extended his hitting streak to nine, while Flood's hit seven ... the Pioneers open WIAC play Saturday and Sunday with four games at UW-Stevens Point, the preseason favorite who was ranked sixth in the NCAA III preseason poll
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