FENNIMORE — Mired in the midst of five game-losing streak, Platteville softball coach Becca Lowe decided to shake things up.

After three straight one-run losses, in which Lowe’s Hillmen scored a combined two runs, the Platteville coach changed the lineup and gave freshman pitcher Abby Wackershauser her second varsity start.

Wackershauer pitched effectively, scattering six hits without issuing a walk, and the revamped Platteville batting order finally broke out for 13 hits as the Hillmen avenged a 2–1 loss at Lancaster with a 9–2 non-conference victory over the same Flying Arrows in the second game of Saturday’s Fennimore Tournament.

The Hillmen opened the tournament with a 4–3 nine-inning loss to Viroqua, when they couldn’t hold a 3–1 eighth-inning lead. The Blackhawks tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth, then walked off with the win in the bottom of the ninth.

But the Hillmen bounced back to snap its five-game skid with a dominating win over Lancaster.

Freshman Josie Nies, who has been batting cleanup since the season-ending shoulder injury to sophomore Kaycie Wagner, went 3-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. Sophomore catcher Anica Graney moved up to the fifth spot and drove in a pair of runs on a pair of singles.

Freshman shortstop Sami Martin went 2-for-3 with RBIs and sophomore Kalie Boigenzahn drove in a pair of runs.
The Hillmen (6–7) closed out the day with a 14–0 four-inning shutout of another SWC foe, Prairie du Chien, which beat Platteville 2–1 on April 20.

Nies had another big game going 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Sophomore Brea Moon went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.

Senior Abby Wein drove in a pair of runs, and freshman Emma Wein went 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Wackershauser (2–1) picked up her second win of the day in the pitcher’s circle, striking out two and allowing just three hits in the four-inning shutout.

Last Tuesday, Platteville suffered a 7–0 loss at Dodgeville. Thursday afternoon, the Hillmen fell to 2–4 in the Southwest Wisconsin Conference with a 2–1 loss at Lancaster.

Junior Hannah Riley hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to tie the game, and struck out four and held the Hillmen to just three hits in the complete game victory.

Cuba City handed Platteville a 2–1 non-conference loss Friday in Wackerhsauser’s varsity debut.

The Hillmen will return to action Thursday at SWC-leading River Valley (12–5, 6–0) before taking part in the Belmont Tournament on Saturday.

Dodgeville 7, Platteville 0
(from Tuesday, May 2 @ Platteville)
Platteville      000    000    0    —   0   5  2
Dodgeville    141    100    x    —  7 10  1
Leading hitters — P: Josie Nies 2x3; D: Argall 2x4, Murphy 2x3. 2B — P: Emma Wein. HR — D: Grace Borne.
W — Murphy (7IP, 5H, 0R, 8K, 2BB). L — Emma Wein (4–4, 6IP, 10H, 7R, 6ER, 9K, 1BB).

Lancaster 2, Platteville 1
(from Thursday, May 4 @ Lancaster)
Platteville   001    000    0    —   1   3  2
Lancaster    000    100    1    —  2   3  0
Leading hitters — none. 2B — P: Amber Lancaster. HR — L: Hannah Riley.
W — Hannah Riley (7IP, 3H, 1ER, 4K, 0BB). L — Emma Wein (4–5, 6.2IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 8K, 3BB).

Cuba City 2, Platteville 1
(from Friday, May 5 @ Platteville)
Cuba City    011    000    0    —  2   3  4
Platteville    100    000    0    —   1   9  4
Leading hitters — P: Amber Lancaster 2x4, Josie Nies 2x4. 2B — CC: Vesberg.
W — Kayla Busch (7IP, 9H, 1ER, 2K, 2BB). L — Abby Wackershauser (0–1, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 2K, 0BB).

Fennimore Tournament
Viroqua 4, Platteville 3
(from Saturday, May 6 @ Fennimore)
Platteville 001    000    020    —  3   1  3
Viroqua    100    000    021    —  4   3  3
Leading hitters — none.
W — Waldenberg (9IP, 1H, 2R, 1ER, 5K, 3BB). L — Emma Wein (4–7, 8.1IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 12K, 4BB).

Fennimore Tournament
Platteville 9, Lancaster 2
(from Saturday, May 6 @ Fennimore)
Lancaster    110    00        —  2   6  1
Platteville    024    3x        —  9 13  3
Leading hitters — L: Hannah Riley 2x3; Straka 2x2; P: Josie Nies 3x3, Anica Graney 2x3, Abby Wein 2x2, Sami Martin 2x3. 2B — L: Riley.
W — Abby Wackershauser (1–1, 5IP, 6H, 2R, 1ER, 1K, 0BB). L — Brookelyn Connelly (2IP, 9H, 7R, 7ER, 2K, 3BB).

Fennimore Tournament
Platteville 14, Prairie du Chien 0
(from Saturday, May 6 @ Fennimore)
Prairie du Chien 000    0    —   0  3  5
Platteville          428    x    — 13  7  1
Leading hitters — P: Emma Wein 2x3, Josie Nies 2x2, Brea Moon 2x2. 2B — P: Nies 2, Wein.
W — Abby Wackershauser (2–1, 4IP, 3H, 0R, 2K, 0BB). L — Baxter (2.1IP, 5H, 13R, 11ER, 0K, 9BB).