Posted March 12, 2008
UW-Platteville won its long-awaited season opener, beating host Greenville (Ill.) 3-1 Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers came back to take the second game, 9-8.
The Pioneers had been canceled five previous times trying to begin the 2008 season.
Joe Lange appeared in mid-season form in the opener, throwing a four-hit gem. The junior left-hander from East Dubuque allowed just one run on a fifth-inning triple, then picked the runner off and retired the final seven batters of the game.
Senior Mike Flood, playing his first action since the 2006 season, belted an RBI single in the first inning. Steve Bomkamp drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, bringing in Jerod Haxton with the go-ahead run. Matt Paulus was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, bringing in Ross Bennett for the 3-1 lead.
The Panthers scored two in the bottom of the sixth to win the nightcap, taking advantage of two Pioneer errors.
Nick Aplin hit the season's first home run, a three-run shot in the second inning. Gabe Neitzel had RBI doubles in both the fourth and fifth innings, and Bennett and Jason Jacobson each had run-scoring doubles.
The Pioneers and Panthers hook up again for a doubleheader Thursday at 1 p.m.
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