MAUSTON — Platteville’s Blake Noel lived out every ballplayers childhood fantasy when he hit a game-winning two-run homer to deliver a dramatic 6–4 non-conference victory over Medford on Saturday, April 8.
Noel was the hero once again just a few days after driving in a career-high six runs in a 15–3 non-conference victory over Cuba City on April 6.
Noel’s two-out blast with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Hillmen to their third victory of the young season and first in three games at the Woodside Sports Complex.
Platteville (4–4, 0–1 SWC) was held to just two hits in a 6–0 loss to Mauston Friday night in its first game of the 40-team Woodside High School Challenge.
Saturday morning the Hillmen dropped a 12–1 decision to Delavan–Darien, but Noel’s heroics Saturday afternoon kept Platteville from going winless at the event. The Hillmen took an early 2–0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Junior Garret Heer reached on an error to drive in the first run, then sophomore Jake Niehaus drew a bases loaded walk to plate Ben Pluemer.
Medford scored three runs in the top of the third, all with two outs, and took the lead on Alexander’s RBI single to centerfield. Medford extended its lead to 4–2 with a Wenzel RBI single in the top of the sixth.
Platteville sophomore Logan Ludlum tied the game with a two-out two-run single to right field to score Noel, who tripled to lead off the inning, and courtesy runner Noah Johnston.
After back-to-back outs, junior shortstop Colemen Brecke singled to set the stage for Noel’s walkoff game-winner.
Niehaus (1–0) pitched a 1–2–3 top of the seventh to earn the win.
Last Tuesday, Platteville opened Southwest Wisconsin Conference play with a frustraiting 7–6 loss at Lancaster. The Hillmen led 4–0 after two innings of play and 6–4 going into the final inning, but the host Arrows scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, winning the game on freshman Isaiah Place’s two-run single.
Thursday afternoon, Platteville dropped a 6–4 non-conference decision at Iowa–Grant.
Mauston 6, Platteville 0
(from Friday, April 7 @ Mauston)
Mauston 003 020 1 — 6 6 3
Platteville 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Leading hitters — M: Caleb Flint 2x3.
W — Travis Erler (7IP, 2H, 0R, 6K, 4BB). L — Ben Pluemer (1–1, 4IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 1K, 4BB).
Delavan–Darien 12, Platteville 1
(from Saturday, April 8 @ Mauston)
Platteville 000 100 — 1 2 1
Delavan–Darien 411 303 — 12 10 1
Leading hitters — DD: Logan Rios 3x5, Sam Grover 2x2. 2B — DD: Noal Brouwer, Jacob Benzing. 3B — DD: Logan Rios.
W — Jared Amborn (6IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 9K, 3BB). L — Blake Noel (0–1, 3IP, 6H, 6R, 5ER, 3K, 2BB).
Platteville 6, Medford 4
(from Saturday, April 8 @ Mauston)
Medford 003 001 0 — 4 7 2
Platteville 200 002 2 — 4 7 1
Leading hitters — M: Trenton Woebbeking 2x3, Cameron Wenzel 2x4, Cade Alexander 2x4; P: Blake Noel 2x4. 2B — Braden Nies. 3B — P: Noel. HR — P: Noel.
W — Jacob Niehaus (1–0, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1K, 0BB). L — Kolten Hanson 1.1IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1K, 0BB).
Lancaster 7, Platteville 6
(from Tuesday, April 11 @ Lancaster)
Platteville 220 011 0 — 6 7 2
Lancaster 002 200 3 — 7 10 1
Leading hitters — P: Ben Pluemer 3x3, Garret Heer 2x3; L: Tanner Reuter 2x3, Evan Straka 2x4. 2B — Pluemer, Logan Ludlum.
W — Drew Reuter (4IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1K, 4BB). L — Garret Heer (0–1, 2.1IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 3K, 2BB).
Iowa–Grant 6, Platteville 4
(from Thursday, April 13 @ Iowa–Grant)
Platteville 010 120 0 — 4 12 2
Iowa–Grant 330 000 x — 6 4 1
Leading hitters — P: Braden Nies 2x3, Ben Pluemer 3x4, Blake Noel 2x4, Cam Brandt 2x3. 2B — P: Noel, Brant; IG: Clayton Kite.
W — Caleb Hill (2–0, 5IP,11H, 4R, 4ER, 2K, 2BB). SV — Blake Noel (0–2, 3IP, 4H, 6R, 6ER, 3K, 5BB). SV — Payton Simon (2IP, 1H, 0R, 2K, 1BB).
