Trailing 6-1 entering the top of the ninth, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball team scored eight times in the top of the ninth to rally for a 9-6 win over St. Ambrose University on Wednesday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa.
The Pioneers (3-7) were limited to seven hits and just one run through the first eight innings before starting the come-from-behind rally. In the ninth, UW-Platteville sent 11 batters to the plate and took advantage of three walks and a pair of back-to-back, two RBI hits by Steve Wolke and Levi Ney.
To start the inning, UW-Platteville loaded the bases on a Topher Scheeler single and Zach Demmon and Charlie Beckman walked. Next, Jon Lewerke delivered his third hit of the afternoon to plate the first run. Then, after a strikeout, the Pioneers plated back-to-back runs on a walk by Trevor Kattre and a hit by pitch by Cody Luther. With the tying run on first, the hottest hitter in the lineup, Levi Ney doubled in a pair of runs, scoring Kattre and Lewerke to tie the game at 6. With the tying run on third and one out, Sunday's offensive star Steve Wolke drove in a pair of runs, scoring Ney and Luther to put the Pioneers ahead 8-6 and for the first time of the afternoon.
Then, veteran head coach Eric Frese brought in Brady Williams to run for Wolke. The freshman quickly stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. UW-Platteville added an insurance run when Wednesday's hero, Scheeler doubled to the gap in left center to stretch the lead to 9-6.
In his second inning of relief, Grant Oldenburg closed out the contest for the Pioneers with his second-straight scoreless inning of relief for the win to improve to 1-0 on the season.
St. Ambrose (9-14) scored three times in the second, added one more in fifth and two more in the sixth en route to a 6-1 lead. In the process, the Bees took advantage of six walks by Pioneer pitching. In the loss, St. Ambrose stranded 14 runners on base including the bases loaded in the third and seventh innings.
The Pioneers will next travel to St. Louis, Missouri for three games in two days. In St. Louis, UW-Platteville will face Washington University on Friday, Mar. 23 at noon and Saturday, Mar. 24 at 3 p.m. Between games, UW-Platteville will take on Wheaton on Saturday at 9 a.m. in St. Louis.
Interview with Levi Ney
Video Highlights with the hit by Ney and Wolke in the ninth