POTOSI — If Friday’s 16–5 season-opening victory over Potosi is any indication, Platteville may be in for a big season.
     The Hillmen took advantage of 11 walks and four Potosi errors, but also scalded the ball for 10 hits, including a towering three-run home run by senior third baseman Halli Austin in the top of the first inning.
     Austin’s blast gave Platteville an early 3–0 lead and ignited an eight-run first inning.
     The home run and an error seemed to rattle Potosi pitcher Emili Rojeman, who was making her first varsity start.
An error on a Tessa Ostendorf ground ball plated a pair of runs and back-to-back bases loaded walks to Megan Schuleter and Sadie Holmes made it 8–0.
     Platteville scored seven more in the second inning before emptying the bench in the fourth inning.
     Senior right fielder Taylor Triphan had a two-run single in the third.
     Center fielder Brittany Edge added a two-run double, and both Ostendorf and second baseman Amber Edge had RBI hits in the inning.
     “I was very proud of how the girls came out right away and set the tone for the night,” said Platteville head coach Tina Davies. “Although we did let up a little towards the end of the game, I was pleased with how hard they all worked both defensively and offensively.”
     Potosi scored a run in the third on a Jena Kruser bases loaded walk.
     Potosi center fielder Bridget Curtis scored on a Platteville error in the bottom of the fourth to make it 16–2.
     First baseman Rylie Bausch knocked in a pair of runs for the Chieftains with a triple to right field in the fifth inning.
     Schlueter (1–0) allowed four earned runs on six hits while striking out five in five innings to collect the win.
     Rojemann took the loss for Potosi after allowing 11 earned runs on eight hits, while striking out six batters and walking 11 in five innings.

Iowa–Grant holds
off host Hillmen
Iowa–Grant scored four runs in the top of the second inning and held on for a 6–5 non-conference victory over the Hillmen Monday at Platteville’s Abing Field.
Panthers right fielder Kaci Myers smashed a hard ground ball past Platteville’s second baseman Amber Edge to make it 3–2.
One batter later sophomore first baseman Kylie Moneypenny cracked a hard grounder past second base to drive in two more runs.
Austin hit a two-run double in the bottom of the first to give Platteville a 2–1 lead.
The Hillmen got a run back in the third on an RBI ground out by Feyen.
Platteville tied the game in the fourth on a RBI single by Ostendorf and a RBI sacrifice bunt by Amber Edge.
Iowa–Grant scored the eventual game-winner in the fifth on Jackie Olson’s RBI single to center field.
“We came out and hit the ball much better than we did at Cuba City on Friday,” said I–G head coach Deanna Fulton. “[Schlueter] throws much harder than what we’ve seen earlier this year, but she wasn’t at the top of her game in the first two innings and we were able to take advantage of that.”
Last Friday the Panthers committed four errors and allowed four unearned runs in a 4–3 season-opening loss at Cuba City.
I–G pulled within one in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t tie the game.
Lara Daentl led off with a triple and scored when Olson reached on an error.
Olson was later thrown out at the plate on a great throw after a Myers single to left field and the game ended with a runners’ interference call when Myers was ruled to have interfered with Brea Stanton’s grounder to shortstop.

Platteville 16, Potosi 5
(from Friday, April 5 @ Potosi)
Platteville    807    10      —   16 10  2
Potosi          001    13      —     5   6  4
Leading hitters — Pla: Taylor Triphan 2x2; Pot: Rylie Bausch 2x3. 2B — Pla: Brittany Edge, Tessa Ostendorf. 3B — Pot: Bausch. HR — Pla: Halli Austin. W - Megan Schlueter (1–0, 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 SO, 5 BB). L – Emilie Rojemann (0–1, 5 IP, 10 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 6 SO, 11 BB).

Iowa–Grant 6, Platteville 5
(from Monday, April 8 @ Platteville)
Iowa–Grant    140    010    0   —   6   8  3
Platteville       201    200    0   —   5 12  4
Leading hitters — IG: Kylie Moneypenny 3x4; P: Megan Schlueter 2x4, Sadie Holmes 2x4, Halli Austin 3x3, Emily Feyen 2x4. 2B — IG: Brittanie Lawinger, P: Ausitn. W — Brea Stanton (1–1, 7 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 SO, 1 BB). L – Megan Schlueter (1–1, 7 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 6 SO, 4 BB).

Cuba City 4, Iowa–Grant 3
(from Friday, April 5 @ Cuba City)
Iowa-Grant    001    010    1   —   3   7  4
Cuba City      100    003    x   —   4   6  2
Leading hitters — IG: Brittanie Lawinger 2x3; CC: Salzmann 2x3, Mueller 2x3, Marti 2x3. 3B — IG: Lara Daentl. W — Wiederholt (7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB). L — Brea Stanton (0–1, 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB).