KISSIMMEE, Florida - The UW-Eau Claire softball team ran its current win streak to season-best five games with a 2-0 triumph over Illinois Wesleyan and a 5-1 decision over Augsburg College of Minnesota in the Rebel Games here Thursday.

The victories were satisfying to head coach Leslie Huntington since they came against two teams that had beaten Washington and Jefferson University earlier this week. W&J is the only team to have defeated the Blugolds (2-0 Monday) during the Rebel Games this week.

Junior Mallory McKinney (Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) pitched her fourth shutout in seven starts this season against Illinois Wesleyan. She yielded just four hits while striking out seven with no walks. She has now fanned 56 batters in 46 innings of work this year while walking only three. She owns a 6-1 record with an 0.76 ERA.

Jill Janke (So.-Black River Falls) won the game for the Blugolds with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth, following singles by Casey Leisgang (So.-Seymour) and Rachel Paulus (Jr.-Wisconsin Rapids/Lincoln). Leisgang and Paulus contributed two hits apiece toward the Blugolds' 7-hit attack.

In the win over Augsburg, the Blugolds rapped out a season-high 15 hits. This was the third time in the last four games the Blugolds have managed 12 or more hits. After falling behind, 1-0, in the first inning, the Blugolds scored twice in the fourth, once in the sixth and plated two insurance runs in the seventh. A triple by freshman Megan Ellenbecker (Athens) and single by junior Amber Haack (Madison/LaFollette) put the Blugolds ahead in the fourth. Paulus drove in the run in the sixth and Haack smacked a two-run single in the seventh to give her three RBI for the game.

Andrea Neuville (Sr.-Green Bay/West) hurled the first two innings after which freshman Bri Sturm (Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) threw the final five innings to pick up the win. Neuville gave up three hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Sturm allowed five hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

The twin victories pushed the Blugolds' season record to 11-3. Illinois Wesleyan suffered only its second setback in eight starts while Augsburg dropped to 5-8 for the season. The Blugolds, ranked No. 16 in the NFCA preseason poll, have now outscored their opponents, 32-8, in their eight Rebel Games outings. They will conclude their spring trip with matchups against Eastern Connecticut State and Baptist Bible College of Missouri Friday.

Eau Claire-Augsburg College Box Score

Eau Claire-Illinois Wesleyan Box Score

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