La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team opened Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play with a doubleheader split with UW-Platteville Friday afternoon at Copeland Park. 

THE BASICS

• Result Game 1: UW-La Crosse 6, UW-Platteville 5
• Result Game 2: UW-Platteville 11, UW-La Crosse 4
• Location: Copeland Park, La Crosse, Wis. 
• Records: UW-La Crosse 9-4, WIAC 1-1, UW-Platteville 4-8 WIAC 1-1
• National Ranking: UW-La Crosse is ranked ninth on this weeks D3baseball.com Top-25 polls. 
• Up Next: The Eagles and Pioneers will finish the four game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 30. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m at Copeland Park.

HOW IT HAPPENED
    Game One

• UW-Platteville scored during their first at bat of the game as Grant Bossert hit a two out single and scored on Mason Molitor's double to take a 1-0 lead. 
• In the Eagles half of the first inning, Jack Olver reached on a fielders choice with two outs and moved to second on a single by Anthony Vivian. George Seaman then hit his first home run of the season to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
• In the third inning, Nate Witte reached after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a balk. After moving to third on a ground out by Olver, Witte scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles a 4-1 lead. 
• The Pioneers would tie it up in the fifth inning as they scored three runs on three hits and two errors.
• UWL would respond in their half of the fifth inning by scoring two runs on three hits including back-to-back RBI singles from Seaman and Mac Born to give UWL 6-4 lead. 
• In the sixth inning, Jake Wegner reached on a throwing error and advanced to third on a double by Justin Fago. Wegner then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Charlie Breen to cut the Pioneers deficit to 6-5. 
• UW-Platteville would put the first two batters on base to start the seventh inning but UWL's Caleb Matl came on in relief to get a ground out, strikeout and fly out to end the Pioneers threat. 

    Game Two

• With the game scoreless after two innings, UW-Platteville would get on the board first with two RBI singles from Wyatt Molitor and Bossert.
• The Eagles would get a run back in their half of the third inning as Andrew Rajkovich walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a single by Chris VandenHeuvel. Rajkovich then scored when Witte reached on a fielders choice.
• After a scoreless fourth inning, the Pioneers scored seven runs on four hits and an error take a 9-1 lead.
• Fago would give the Pioneers a 10-1 lead with an RBI single to score Bossert
• With one out in the seventh inning, Born singled and Logan Pye would pinch run for Born. Then after a strikeout, Rajkovich would hit his first home run of the season to cut the Eagles deficit to 10-3. 
• The Pioneers would add their final run of the game in the eighth inning as Cale Parker doubled, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a ground out by Fago. 
• In the ninth inning the Eagles would get a solo home run from Pye but that would be all the offense for the Eagles. 

FROM THE BOX SCORE
    Game One

• Offensively, UWL finished with six runs on seven hit and two walks.
• Seaman led the Eagles going 2-for-4 with four RBI and a home run.
• Born and Witte each finished with two hits apiece. Witte also scored two runs and stole a base while Born drove in a run.
• Isaiah Katz (2-2) earned the win on the mound as he allowed five runs (two earned) on seven hits and no walks while striking out five in six innings of work.
• Matl earned his second save of the season by going three innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five. 
• Brandon Molldrem (1-2) suffered the loss for the Pioneers going five innings and allowing six runs on five hits and two walks.
• As a team, UW-Platteville finished with five runs on 10 hits and one walk.
• The Pioneers were led by Fago and Caleb Parker with three hits a piece.

      Game Two

• Offensively, UWL finished with four runs on eight hits and one walk. 
• Olver finished 2-for-4  while Pye finished 1-for-1 with two runs scored and a home run. 
• Rajkovich was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a home run. 
• Tyler Schmitt (0-1) suffered the loss for the Eagles as he allowed six runs on five hits, one walk and five strikeouts. 
• As a team, the Pioneers scored 11 runs on 13 hits and two walks.
• Parker, Wyatt Molitor, Bossert and Mason Molitor each had two hits for the Pioneers.
• Mitchell Pomeroy (1-0) earned the win for the Pioneers by going 9.0 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out four.