|
| An overflow crowd watched the action |
Pat Murray, the father of the late Kendall Murray, threw out of the first pitch as UW-Platteville dedicated the field named after his son prior to the Pioneers' doubleheader with UW-Whitewater Saturday.
He was awfully lucky he didn't have to pitch to any of the red-hot batters that stepped to the plate during the day.
The Pioneers and Warhawks combined for 54 runs and 61 hits while splitting an entertaining twinbill before an overflow crowd under bright and warm skies at the Pioneers' new stadium.
UW-Whitewater won game one 13-10 behind an eight-run eighth inning, while UW-Platteville tied a school record with five home runs to win game two 19-12.
The split puts the Warhawks at 13-11 overall and 6-6 in the WIAC and the Pioneers at 10-14-1, 3-8. The same teams meet again Sunday at noon at Kendall Murray Field.
Pat and Nancy Murray helped dedicate the field, named after the Pioneers' all-time leader in strikeouts. Kendall Murray, who fanned 171 during his career, was killed in an automobile accidents weeks after his senior season in 1975.
With the opener tied 5-5 in the eighth, the Warhawks' Kevin Zalinas hit a double and scored the go-ahead run on Ben Prather's single. Jordan Stine hit a two-run double, and Thomas Corcoran added a two-run home run in the inning.
The Pioneers' Mike Kuhn hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the Pioneers within 13-10 but foreshadowing a huge nightcap.
Kuhn and Scott Dybevik each hit two home runs, and Ross Bennett one as the Pioneers tied the school record set against Clarke in 2000. Pioneer Coach Eric Frese was on hand for both record-setting days, as he is the former Clarke coach.
With UWP trailing 9-5 in the fourth, Bennett slammed a three-run home run and Kuhn followed with a solo shot, tying the score. Dybevik led off the fifth with a home run, giving the Pioneers the lead for good.
Dybevik hit a two-run blast in the eighth, and Kuhn knocked in three with his second round-tripper of the game.
The Pioneers pounded out 21 hits in the nightcap, two shy of the school record. Six players had at least two hits, including Dybevik and Kuhn with four apiece.
Wil Osmanski earned the win in relief, pitching 4.1 innings of five-hit ball. When the Warhawks cut the lead to 14-12, Aaron Daniels came in during the eighth to get out of the jam. UWP then added five in the bottom of the eighth, and Daniels pitched a scoreless ninth to record his third save.
Related Links