EAU CLAIRE - The eighth-ranked UW-Eau Claire softball team improved to 10-0 in conference play as it swept a doubleheader against UW-Stevens Point today at Gelein Field.

For the fourth time in six games the Blugolds needed extra innings to win game one as they defeated the Pointers 4-3 in eight innings. In game two, the Blugolds jumped out early and maintained the lead as they won 6-2.

The Blugolds improve to 26-4 overall and 10-0 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) action. The two losses drop the Pointers to 18-11-1 overall and 2-6 in WIAC play.

In game one, the Blugolds got on the board early as Mandy Tschernach (Jr.-Rice Lake, WI) hit a RBI single to left to score Casey Leisgang (So.-Seymour, WI) in the bottom of the first. The Blugolds would then extend their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning after a two-RBI single by Megan Ellenbecker (Fr.-Athens, WI) that scored both Shannon Barone (Jr.-De Pere, WI) and Amber Haack (Jr.-Madison, WI/LaFollette).

Pitcher Mallory McKinney (Jr.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) would cruise through the first five innings before she would give up a run in the top of the sixth inning and the Blugold lead would be cut to 3-1. The Pointers would then tie it up in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI single to center.

Following a Pointer error to begin the bottom of the eighth, Amber Haack would then win the game on a fielder's choice that scored Tessa Pecha (So.-Eau Claire, WI/North) and Blugolds went onto win 4-3.

McKinney (17-1) got the victory on the mound as she pitched a complete game and struck out eight batters in the contest. Tschernach, Haack, and Ellenbecker each had two hits for the Blugolds.

In game two, Casey Leisgang led off the game for the Blugolds with solo homerun. This was her fourth leadoff homerun of the season. The Pointers would then commit three errors in the bottom of the second that led to three unearned runs by the Blugolds to make the score 4-0. Amber Haack had an RBI in the inning and Rachel Paulus (Jr.-Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln) had two RBIs on a single.

Following a Pointer run in the top of the fourth, the Blugolds would get two in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-1. Steph Salter (Jr.-Schofield, WI/D.C. Everest) and Leisgang each had RBI singles in the inning. The Pointers would get one run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn't enough as the Blugolds went onto win 6-2.

Freshman Bri Sturm (Fr.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) got the victory on the mound as she pitched her third complete game of the season, striking out three in the game. Sturm improves to 6-1 on the season.

The Blugolds have now won four straight against the Pointers and have not lost at home to Stevens Point since the 1989 season.

The Blugolds will host UW-Whitewater for a doubleheader tomorrow. The first game begins at noon at Gelein Field in Carson Park.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

Eau Claire-Stevens Point Slideshow

- JR -