La Crosse, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team split a doubleheader with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville by losing game one 6-5, but winning game two, 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Copeland Park. The doubleheader split moves UWL to 8-8 overall and 4-2 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while UW-Platteville is now 9-10 overall and 4-2 in the WIAC.

In game one, UWP scored first as it got four runs on three hits and three walks in the top half of the third inning. Ross Krist recorded the big hit for the Pioneers as he drove in two with a single. UWL would get a run in the fourth inning as Brennan Schmitt walked and stole second base. One out later, Cal Tully drove Schmitt in with a single.

The Eagles would then threaten again in the sixth as Carson Youngquist reached on an error and advanced to second on Schmitt's single. They both moved up on a passed ball but would be stranded in scoring position. The Pioneers would add two runs in the eighth inning as Jonathan Kelso hit a two-run home run to make the score 6-1.

Mitch Sutton led off the bottom of the eighth with his first home run of the season to make the score 6-2, but UWL would leave two more runners on base. Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Shane Coker doubled and advanced to third on a single by Zach Carney. Nate Heili would then drive them both in with his second home run of the season to pull the Eagles within 6-5. UWL would load the bases as Youngquist was hit by a pitch, Schmitt hit a single and Jack Dwyer walked.  However, the Pioneers would get back-to-back fly outs to end the game.

Jack Mizgalski (0-1) started the game for the Eagles giving up four runs on six hits and five walks while striking out two in 2.1 innings of work. Owen Olson came on for Mizgalski and pitched 4.2 innings, giving up two hits. Sutton, Schmitt, Tully and Coker all recorded two hits to lead the Eagles' offense.

Caleb Kaufmann (2-2) got the win for the Pioneers as he pitched 8.0 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out eight. 
 

Game two started out as a pitchers dual as neither team was able to put much of a threat together over the first three innings. UWL would finally score in the fourth inning as Tully drove in a run with a two-out single. The lead was short lived as UWP scored two runs in the top of the fifth as Ben Espinoza and Kelso each drove in a run with singles for the Pioneers.

The score remained 2-1 until the seventh inning when the Eagles' struck again. With one out, Dwyer walked and advanced to third when Parker Plume reached on an error. Coker singled to score both runners to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead. That would be all of the scoring as Caleb Willems faced one over the minimum in the final 2.0 innings to shut the door for the Eagles.

Zach Pronschinske (1-1) picked up the win for UWL as he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine in 7.0 innings of work. Willems allowed just one walk while striking out three in 2.0 innings to earn his second save on the season. Coker finished the game one-for-three with two RBI while Tully was one-for-four with an RBI.

Tyler Vogel (1-3) suffered the loss for the Pioneers as he allowed three runs on three hits and four walks while striking out seven in 6.1 innings.

UWL and UW-Platteville will play another doubleheader Sunday at noon.