Kathlyn Hotynski

The softball team finished up a successful weekend on Sunday when they swept UW-Platteville 2-0 and 10-3. The Blugolds also swept UW-La Crosse in a doubleheader Saturday.

The four wins bring the Blugolds to 10-6 in the WIAC and 27-11 overall.

It took until the third inning of game one to get anything started for the Blugolds, when senior Rachel Paulus hit a single. The ‘Golds quickly had the bases loaded and senior Mandy Tschernach delivered with a successful bunt that scored two. It was the only scoring of the game, as senior pitcher Mallory McKinney and her defense shut down the Pioneers.

“As warm as it was, that was something no one is used to, and our pitchers did a real good job out there,” said Coach Leslie Huntington.

The Blugolds kept the momentum in game two, scoring eight runs in the first inning with the help of two Pioneer errors.

Junior Casey Leisgang led off the inning with a single, and Paulus drew a walk. McKinney’s hit should have been a single, but the Pioneers were unable to field the ball, allowing for two runs to score and McKinney to reach third base. She scored when the next batter, junior Michelle Butkus, hit a single.

Butkus advanced to third on a single by junior Jill Janke.

The Pioneers’ pitcher then delivered a wild pitch that allowed Butkus to score. Tschernach also scored when the Pioneers overthrew first base trying to get senior Amber Haack out.

The Blugolds scored three more runs on a single, wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers threatened a comeback when sophomore Kristi Doucette gave up a three-run homerun in the top of the third, but those were the only runs the Pioneers scored.

“The pitching staff did a good job of holding down their offense,” McKinney said.

The Blugolds tacked on two more runs, one in the fifth and one in the sixth, winning the game 10-3.

“We just played within ourselves and got hits,” Paulus said.

Sunday was Breast Cancer Awareness day, with the players wearing armbands. Huntington also donated $.25 for every fan in attendance to breast cancer awareness.

It was also the last home and regular season game for the Blugolds, and they honored their six seniors with a ceremony in between games.

“With a program that takes so much commitment it’s important to honor the seniors that have stuck with the program for four years,” Huntington said. “I can’t say enough about what this group of seniors has done for us.”

McKinney was one of the seniors honored on Sunday.

“It was kind of bittersweet,” she said. “But it was nice to end at home.”

The Blugolds will take part in the WIAC Tournament which begins Friday.

“We are going to go in a play Blugold ball,” Paulus said. “And we’re going to know we left it all on the field.”