TUCSON, Az. - The UW-Eau Claire softball team played its final two games at the Tucson Invitational Games, winning them both at Lincoln Regional Park today.

In the first game of the day, the Blugolds defeated Babson College (Mass.) 8-1 and followed that with a 6-2 victory over Nazareth College (N.Y.). The Blugolds end their spring break trip with a 10-2 record, boosting their season record to 14-4.

Against Babson, the Blugolds jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. In the bottom of the second, Eau Claire scored another run to increase its lead. The fourth inning was the last inning that saw scoring, with Babson brining in its lone run of the game. The Blugolds would score three more times the same inning to make their lead seven.

Tamara Zeman (So.-Lodi, Wis.) went 4-for-4 in game one, scored twice and drove in one run. Casey Leisgang (Sr.-Seymour, Wis.) and Michelle Butkus (Sr.-Medford, Wis.) also scored two runs for the Blugolds on two and three hits, respectively. Bekki Kidnie (So.-St. Paul, MN/Johnson) led the game with two RBIs.

Starting in the circle for the Blugolds was Jenny Ross (Fr.-Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley). She pitched five innings, facing 19 batters, and allowed only four hits with one earned run and had five strikeouts. Jackie Chlan (Fr.-Apple Valley, Minn.) closed the game, pitching two innings. Chlan pitched to eight batters, accumulating three strikeouts and allowing two hits.

In the day's second game, the Blugolds once again found themselves with an early advantage, scoring five runs in just two innings. Neither team was able to get anything going the next two innings, but in the bottom of the fifth Eau Claire scored its final run of the game. Nazareth then scored its only two runs in the top of the sixth to make the score 6-2.

Leading the Blugolds in hitting was Leisgang, who went 3-for-4, driving in one run and scoring twice. Six other Eau Claire batters picked up hits and four others scored runs. Bri Sturm (Jr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) pitched six innings for Eau Claire, facing 20 batters. She allowed one hit and two earned runs, while striking out 10. Jessica Flood (So.-Madison, Wis./La Follette) pitched the final inning for the Blugolds and faced three batters, all of whom flied out to end the game.

The Blugolds will next face Luther College in Decorah, Iowa on March 30. They will also open conference play with a home contest on April 1 against UW-Stout.

Eau Claire-Babson Box Score

Eau Claire-Nazareth Box Score

- KM -