Blue Devils rebound to get second game win over Pioneers

UW-Platteville 6, UW-Stout 2 | UW-Stout 9, UW-Platteville 1 (6 inn)

PLATTEVILLE (April 23, 2017) – After giving up a 6-2 decision to UW-Platteville in the first game, UW-Stout bounced nicely to control the second game offensively and defensively to down the Pioneers, 9-1, in six innings Sunday.
 
The Blue Devils (16-16, 5-3 WIAC)  took off from the get-go in the second game. Rachel Thomas led off the game with a single up the middle and, after Katelyn Schobert reached base after being hit by a pitch, came home on a single up the middle by Beth Wood.
 
Stout would not slow down, scoring in five of the six innings.

The Blue Devils did make some adjustments between the two games, but nothing out of the ordinary.

"I told them there's not much to say as they all know what happened in that (first) game" said Blue Devil coach Becky Iaccino. "We discussed making adjustments to contact points and swinging at good pitches. Most of our strike outs were at balls, so we needed to make their pitchers throw the ball in the zone."

And the Blue Devils found the ball in the second game.
 
Kim Jablonski had one of her best offensive days, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in. Jablonski scored Alicia Meyer with a single through the left side to start the scoring in the second and Wood smashed a two-run single later in the inning.
 
Following Kaylee Francois' lead-off home run in the third, Jablonski smacked her second RBI of the game in the third inning, driving home McKayla Brunner.
 
After Platteville (11-23, 4-8 WIAC) scored what would prove to be their only run of the game in the bottom of the third, Meyer neutralized the run when she doubled home Francois in the fourth to make it 7-1.
 
Following a scoreless fifth, Meyer hit a two run shot in the sixth inning to bring her season home run total to five. Stout held an eight run lead, then put the Pioneers down in order to end the game.
 
Pitching was good with Kyncaide Diedrich picking up the win, scattering seven hits while striking out five and walking none over 4.0 innings pitched. Brunner finished up the game, allowing no hits and striking out three, including Platteville's final two batters.
 
Francois was 3-for-4, while Wood was 2-for-4 with three RBI, Meyer 2-for-4 with three RBI and Rachel Thomas 2-for-5.

"Really though, it wasn't our day," Iaccino said. "We were off. (There was a) lack of communication, defensive miscues. But in the end, our defense and pitching kept us in the game for the offensive attack."

The Blue Devils could not solve freshman first baseman Jessy Tanel in the opener. The first year player delivered four RBIs for the Pioneers, driving in a run in the third inning to get the games' scoring started, then delivered a two run single in the fourth inning. 
 
After the Blue Devils got on the board in the fifth inning on an RBI single by McKayla Brunner (or Wood) in the fourth inning, Tanel matched that run with a swing of the bat, sending a pitch over the fence to make the score 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Stout did scored again in the sixth when Rachel Thomas scored on a passed ball, but it was too little too late as the Pioneers took a 6-2 win.

The Blue Devils have a busy week on tap, hosting St. Olaf College, Tuesday, April 25 at 4 p.m. and UW-Eau Claire Wednesday, April 26 at 4 p.m. Stout is scheduled to close out the home portion of their schedule when they host UW-Whitewater, Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. and UW-Oshkosh, Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m.