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University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

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Softball

Ross Pitches First Seven-Inning Perfect Game In Program History, Softball Splits

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Jenny Ross (Fr. -Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley) did what no UW-Eau Claire softball pitcher had done before, sending down all 21 batters in Eau Claire's first perfect seven-inning game ever.

Her 14th-ranked team would go on to win the game 3-0 but it lost 7-0 in the second game of the doubleheader versus UW-Oshkosh.

Ross went the full seven innings and had six strikeouts along the way. Four of her other outs came on flyouts while there were 11 groundouts. One of those groundouts was a fine leaping stab on a high bouncer by Ross herself. This second-inning out was the closest the Titans came to getting on base.

Her counterpart Ronessa Stampfli matched Ross' zeroes and allowed just three hits through the first five innings, two of which belonged to Ross. Tamara Zeman (So.-Lodi, Wis.) changed the score with a leadoff homer in the sixth. Jill Janke (Sr.-Black River Falls, Wis.) followed that with a single to reach in front of Michelle Butkus (Sr.-Medford, Wis.), who blasted both in with a round-tripper.

Eau Claire would outhit Oshkosh 6-to-0 and Ross moved to 11-0. This is the first time since April 1, 2004 that the Titans have been no-hit, going back 176 games. Eau Claire does not have records on no-hitters, but Ross' performance is the only seven-inning perfect game since the program began in 1985. The only other known perfect game, which went only five innings, occurred on March 11, 1996 in a 12-0 win by Reece Krings.

Eau Claire had more trouble with the Oshkosh bats in Game Two. It was scoreless until the third, when Whitney Tornow homered on a windy day at Bollinger Fields.

The Titans really hit two innings later as they put up a four-spot. Amie Heinzelman started it off with a hit that drifted in the air to right-center, allowing for a triple. Dani Olsen then singled and advanced to second and third on the center fielder's error while Tornow came in. After a walk and a strikeout, Sydnee Wyss smashed a ground-rule double to plate one. Another ground-rule double with two out knocked in the final two runs of the frame.

A two-run jack in the seventh made for the 7-0 final as Eau Claire was outhit 10-to-1. Eau Claire also drew three walks against starter Amy Sullivan.

Bri Sturm (Jr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) took the loss for the Blugolds, going four and a third innings with five earned runs off six hits and two walks. She is now 5-3. Ross finished out the game and allowed two earned runs off four hits.

The Blugolds are 18-6 overall and 3-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The 7-0 defeat was the team's first conference loss and the seventh straight Eau Claire-Oshkosh matchup that has been played in Eau Claire. Oshkosh is 11-7 and 1-2.

The Blugolds now prepare for three doubleheaders this weekend. Friday's will be at Luther College (Iowa), Saturday's at UW-La Crosse and Sunday's at UW-Platteville.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

 

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