TUCSON, Ariz. - The UW-Eau Claire softball team pushed its winning streak to five games today with two more victories at the Tucson Invitational Games.

Against Wesleyan University (Conn.) the Blugolds picked up a 5-2 win to begin the day. In their second game the Blugolds again scored five runs and finished with a 5-1 victory over Lakeland College. Eau Claire improves to 5-1 on the season.

The Blugolds kicked off scoring right away in their first game against Wesleyan. With two outs and Betsy Kettinger (Sr.-Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson)on second base, Sara Baumgartner (So.-Arcadia, Wis.) drove her in to put the Blugolds on the board. Wesleyan answered right back in the bottom of the first to tie the game up.

In the fourth inning, the teams once again exchanged runs. This time it was Ainsley Klar (Jr.-La Crosse, Wis./Aquinas) scoring the unearned run in the top of the inning and Wesleyan also picked up an unearned run later.

But the Blugolds were able to take the lead for good two innings later. Jenny Janke (Fr.-Black River Falls, Wis.), Tamara Zeman (Jr.-Lodi, Wis.) and Meghan O'Hearn (So.-Woodbury, Minn.) all scored runs to give the Blugolds the eventual 5-2 victory.

A lot of Blugolds contributed in the game with 18 different players seeing action. Seven players each had one hit, while five different Blugolds scored runs and four had RBIs.

Brooke Malnory (So.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chi-Hi) started on the mound and pitched four innings before Bri Sturm (Sr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) replaced her. Malnory faced 17 batters, allowing four hits and two unearned. Sturm, who earned the win for the Blugolds, pitched two innings and allowed one hit in seven at-bats. Jenny Ross (So.-Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley) was credited with a save after pitching one inning.

In game two against Lakeland the Blugolds found themselves up early. Aleisha Harper (Fr.-Mondovi, Wis./Eau Claire North) and Katie Stalker (Jr.-Madison, Wis./La Follette) each scored runs in the bottom of the first to give the Blugolds a 2-0 lead.

The Blugolds also found runs in the fourth, with Emily Pierce (So.-Onalaska, Wis./Holmen) and Becca Moos (Fr.-White Bear Lake, Minn./St. Agnes) both scoring runs with two outs. Stalker added another run in the bottom of the fifth, unearned. Lakeland tried to get back into the game but was only able to score a run in the sixth on a Blugold error.

Jess Freagon (Fr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) led Eau Claire with two RBIs while Stalker led with three hits and two runs.

Ashley Meinen (Fr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) earned the start and the win for the Blugolds in the circle. She pitched four innings, facing 14 batters. Meinen struck out four batters and allowed three hits before Ross relieved her. Ross pitched the final three innings and was credited with a save after facing 10 batters and getting two strikeouts while allowing a hit and an unearned run.

The Blugolds will now take the day off tomorrow before being back on the field for two more games Wednesday. The first game Wednesday is scheduled to get underway 5:30 p.m. against Schreiner University (Texas) while the second game is set for 8 p.m. against Augsburg College (Minn.).

Eau Claire-Wesleyan Box Score

Eau Claire-Lakeland Box Score

- KM -