University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Athletics

PLATTEVILLE, Wis.- UW-Oshkosh is the outright 2026 WIAC softball regular season champion.
 
Amanda Martineck (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) homered in the fourth inning, Maddie Crick (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) had a game-winning two-run double with two outs during the fifth frame, and Oshkosh held on to win the nightcap, 4-2, at UW-Platteville on Saturday (May 2) to secure the outright WIAC regular season title for the second time in the last three years.
 
Oshkosh (30-7-1, 11-3 WIAC), ranked 14th in NCAA Division III by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, went into the day needing just one win to clinch the title outright but suffered a 2-1 setback during the opener.
 
The Titans will host the six-team, single-elimination WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's) on Friday and Saturday (May 8-9) at Mary Beth Nienhaus Softball Complex. As the No. 1 seed, Oshkosh receives a bye and will play Saturday against the winner of Friday's first contest that features the No. 4 seed battling the No. 5 seed at noon.
 
With the victory Oshkosh also reached 30 wins for the fourth consecutive year and the ninth time overall. The Titans, who have won at least 20 games for a WIAC-record 22 straight full seasons, claimed previous regular season crowns in 1984, 1985, 2007, 2021 and 2024.
 
UW-Platteville (22-14, 8-5 WIAC) headed into Saturday with a chance to snag the top seed and hosting rights from Oshkosh with a doubleheader sweep and a victory during the completion of a suspended game at UW-River Falls on Sunday (May 3). The Pioneers were seeking their third WIAC championship and first since 2003.
 
During the title-clinching nightcap, Oshkosh took its first lead of the day on Martineck's towering solo home run well over the left field fence with one out for a 1-0 advantage in the top of the fourth frame. The homer was Martineck's second on the year and sixth career.
 
Platteville knotted the score on a steal of home following a walk that would have loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Crick then delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit, smashing a two-run double to the fence in left-center field in the fifth inning. Mary Kate Quaid (Aurora, Ill./Oswego East) and Emma Bohn (Rosendale/Laconia) drew back-to-back walks with one out in the fifth frame. Following a flyout, Crick crushed a 1-0 pitch to the gap to plate both pinch runner Kaelin Adair (Mishicot/Mishicot), who entered for Quaid, and Bohn.
 
The Titans tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning when Martineck led off the inning with a double down the left field line and came in to score on a Brianne Lopez (Volo, Ill./Grant Community) sacrifice fly for a 4-1 cushion.
 
Platteville scored a run during the last of the seventh inning and brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but Oshkosh relief pitcher Brianna Bougie (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West) induced a flyout to Sarah Hammerton (Appleton/Appleton West) in center field for the second out. Quaid, the Titans' catcher, put the final touches on the triumph by pouncing on a batted ball just in front of the plate and firing to Martineck at first base.
 
Martineck and Olivia Ullman (Denmark/Denmark) both had two of Oshkosh's seven hits. Ullman also stole a base, while Emma Bohn (Rosendale/Laconia) drew a pair of the Titans' five walks.
 
Bougie (5-4) earned the win in relief, holding the Pioneers to just one run on four hits across the final 3.1 innings. The reigning WIAC Pitcher of the Year struck out five without issuing a walk.
 
Grace Nardi (Marquette, Mich./Negaunee) started in the Oshkosh pitcher's circle, limiting Platteville to one run on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Nardi, who had tossed no-hitters during both her two previous two starts, extended her hitless streak to 17 innings until surrendering a single with no outs in the bottom of the third frame.
 
Melissa Dietz and Kaia McVay both accounted for two of Platteville's seven hits.
 
Pioneers relief pitcher Nora Buske (10-3) was charged with the loss in relief after ceding two runs on one hit and two walks in 1.1 innings of work.
 
In the first game of the day, Platteville never trailed after Allison Peters hit a solo home run in the home half of the first inning.
 
Oshkosh knotted the score at 1 in the top of the second frame as Bohn led off with a single and came around to score on a fielding error on the Platteville right fielder, who misplayed a Crick single into three bases.
 
The Pioneers tallied the decisive run in the third inning as Dietz went up and got a high fastball on a 3-2 pitch and singled through the left side with two outs to score Greta Volkening from second base.
 
Oshkosh went on to strand nine baserunners during the contest, including the bases loaded in the second inning and two more runners in the fifth frame.
 
The Titans outhit the Pioneers, 5-4, as Bohn collected a pair of singles for Oshkosh. Quaid also reached base twice on a pair of walks.
 
Payton Gile (2-2) picked up the win in relief for the Pioneers, hurling 2.2 scoreless innings. She allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two.
 
Oshkosh starting pitcher Kiran Sanford (Two Rivers/Mishicot) (16-2) took the loss, yielding two runs on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts in four innings. Sanford, who lost her first decision since March 22, concluded the regular season leading the WIAC in victories, complete games (10) and shutouts (6).
 
The Titans are set to host the WIAC Tournament for the sixth time (1987, 1993, 2000, 2010, 2024).