WHITEWATER - The top-seeded UW-Eau Claire softball team was able to play only one game because of rain, but the Blugolds scored a 7-0 win over host UW-Whitewater here today at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

The Blugolds were originally scheduled to play the winner of the Whitewater/Platteville play-in game at 1:00 but due to the weather the game was pushed back to 5:00. Eau Claire will battle No. 5 UW-Stevens Point tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. The Pointers knocked off fifth-seeded UW-Superior today to advance in the championship bracket.

Mallory McKinney (So.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) did it all in the Blugolds' victory over the Warhawks, pitching six scoreless innings and slugging a solo home run to put Eau Claire on the board in the second inning. The blast led off the inning and paved the way to four runs in the second. Amber Haack (So.-Madison/LaFollette) and Casey Leisgang (Fr.-Seymour) added RBI singles later in the inning and the Blugolds tacked another run via a Warhawk error for a 4-0 lead.

McKinney dominated the Warhawk hitters as she allowed just three hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking none. Haack knocked another RBI single in the fifth and the Blugolds scored two more unearned runs to put the game out of reach at 7-0.

Andrea Neuville (Jr.-Green Bay/West) finished the game off by pitching a scoreless seventh inning. McKinney moved to 15-5 with the win and her home run was the third of the season. She finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored while Leisgang was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Haack was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. Megan Oster (Fr.-Eau Claire/Immanuel Lutheran) was 2-for-2 on the day.

The Blugolds continue their drive to a national playoff birth tomorrow at 8:30 when they look to defeat Stevens Point. The game is not a must win contest for Eau Claire as the tournament is a double elimination event. If the Blugolds defeat Stevens Point they will play at noon against the winner of the Oshkosh/Stout game. Should Eau Claire lose they will battle the winner of the La Crosse/River Falls contest at 12:30 a.m.

Eau Claire-Whitewater Box Score

WIAC Championships Web site

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