EAU CLAIRE - The fifth-ranked UW-Eau Claire softball team split its doubleheader with St. Mary's University (MN) today at Gelein Field with the Cardinals winning game one 4-2 and then the Blugolds scoring two in the seventh to win game two 7-6.

The Blugolds are now 15-5 overall this season, while the Cardinals are now 9-7.

In game one, the Blugolds scored first in the second inning after St. Mary's committed an error on a stolen base by Katie Stalker (Fr.-Madison, WI/La Follette) that allowed Mandy Tschernach (Sr.-Rice Lake, WI) to score from third. The Cardinals came back in the top of third to tie the game after a RBI groundout by Hanna Schmitt.

The Cardinals took the lead in the top of the fifth on a Jenna Johnson RBI single to make the score 2-1 Cardinals. Mallory McKinney (Sr.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) hit a RBI double to right center that scored Stephanie Salter (Sr.-Schofield, WI/D.C. Everest) to tie the game 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals' Tara Close reached on an error and then two straight singles loaded the bases. Jenny Giannini then hit a two-RBI single to center field to make the score 4-2. The Blugolds would leave a runner at first base in the ninth as the Cardinals defeated the Blugolds for the third straight time 4-2. McKinney picked up the loss on the mound allowing 10 hits and striking out four. She is now 7-3 this season. Her last home loss came against St. Mary's in 2005 in the first game of a doubleheader.

In game two the Blugolds got off to a quick start scoring three runs in the first inning. The first four Blugold batters reached base. Mallory McKinney singled down the right field line that scored Casey Leisgang (Jr.-Seymour, WI). Jill Janke (Jr.-Black River Falls, WI) then singled to center field that scored Rachel Paulus (Sr.-Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln). Later in the inning Amber Haack (Sr.-Madison, WI/La Follette) laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Katie Stalker.

The Cardinals scored one run in the second inning on a Hanna Schmitt home run. Then the Blugolds extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Leisgang scored on a wild pitch and then Jill Janke laid a bunt down that scored Tessa Pecha (Jr.-Eau Claire, WI/North) to make the score 5-1. A Cardinals sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth made the score 5-2.

In the bottom of the Blugolds left the bases loaded with one out and then St. Mary's capitalized in the top of the sixth with a pair of RBI singles to make the score 5-4 Eau Claire. The Blugolds once again would strand the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the sixth.

With two outs and runners at second and third in the top of the seventh Megan Pulvermacher hit a full count pitch to center field that scored both runners to make the score 6-5 Cardinals. Stephanie Salter would leadoff the bottom of the seventh for the Blugolds with a single. Then Leisgang sacrificed Salter to second. Rachel Paulus then had an infield single to put runners at the corners with one out. After Paulus advanced to second, McKinney hit a shot at the shortstop that scored Salter to tie the game. Janke then ended the game with a single to left that scored Rachel Paulus to make the final score 7-6.

Janke finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Bri Sturm (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) got the win on the mound striking out five. Sturm improves to 6-2 overall.

The Blugolds will host UW-Stevens Point in a doubleheader in their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at Gelein Field in Carson Park. The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played at Stevens Point; however the site was moved to Eau Claire because of unplayable field conditions.

Eau Claire-St. Mary's Game 1 Box Score

Eau Claire-St. Mary's Game 2 Box Score