TUCSON, Az. - After losing its last three games, the UW-Eau Claire softball team bounced back to win two in a row at the Tucson Invitational Games at Lincoln Regional Park here today.

The Blugolds improved to 6-3 with the two wins today. In the first game of the day, Eau Claire defeated Nazareth College 12-4 in five innings. The Blugolds followed with an eight-inning game against Eastern Connecticut, where they also won 6-5.

Against Nazareth, the Blugolds scored five runs in the first inning, while their opponent only scored once at the top of the first. Nazareth then scored one more in the top of the second to make the game 5-2. Eau Claire's only other scoring occurred at the bottom of the fourth inning, accumulating seven runs. In the top of the fifth, Nazareth scored two more but the Blugolds held on to end the game on the eight-run rule after the top of the fifth came to an end.

Michelle Butkus (Sr.-Medford, Wis.) led the Blugold batters in hits in game one, going 3-for-4 and scoring a run. Katie Stalker (So.-Madison, Wis./La Follette), Casey Leisgang (Sr.-Seymour, Wis.), Jill Janke (Sr.-Black River Falls, Wis.) and Tamara Zeman (So.-Lodi, Wis) each had two runs apiece.

Bri Sturm (Jr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) was given the win, as she started and pitched the first three innings. She faced 12 batters, allowing four hits and two runs. Jessica Flood (So.-Madison, Wis./La Follette) pitched the final two innings. She faced eight batters and allowed two runs on two hits.

In game two against Eastern Connecticut, the Blugolds needed an extra inning to put away the Warriors. Eastern Connecticut jumped out to a 3-1 lead by the end of the third inning, but the Blugolds were able to fight their way back to tie it up in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams were scoreless in the seventh and took a 3-3 tie into the eighth. In the top of the eighth, the Warriors scored two runs, but the Blugolds didn't let them take home the victory. With two outs and a runner on third, Leisgang singled to center to drive in one run. Kaity Acker (Fr.-Cross Plains, Wis./Middleton) then came in as a pinch hitter and hit the first homerun of her collegiate career, bringing in two runs to lift the Blugolds to the victory.

No Blugold had had more than one hit in the game despite 33 at-bats, and Acker had the most RBIs with two. Janke led the game with 14 putouts. Kristi Doucette (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon) started the game and pitched the first two innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits against 10 batters, before Jenny Ross (Fr.-Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley) relieved her to pitch the rest of the way. Against 22 batters, Ross allowed only two hits and three runs, only one of which was earned. The win for Ross improved her season record to 3-0.

The Blugolds will be back on the field tomorrow for two more games, one against Delaware Valley, Pa. at 10:30 a.m. and the other against Marian College at 3 p.m.

Eau Claire-Nazareth Box Score

Eau Claire-Eastern Connecticut Box Score

- KM -