PELLA, Iowa (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire softball team had a tough time getting its offense going as it fell 5-3 and 5-0 in a doubleheader against 11th-ranked Central College (Iowa) at A.N. Kuyper Complex today.

In game one, the Blugolds allowed four runs over the first two innings and couldn't recover after that point. The Blugolds got two runs in the fourth inning, closing the gap to just two, but Central added another run in the fifth inning to go back up by three.

In the top of the seventh with two outs, a Kaity Acker (Jr.-Cross Plains, Wis./Middleton) single down the left field line brought Emily Muller (So.-Lancaster, Wis.) home to allow the Blugolds to get back within two runs, but despite two hits in the inning, the Blugolds left a runner stranded as Central recorded the third out.

Katie Stalker (Sr.-Madison, Wis./La Follette) and Aleisha Harper (So.-Mondovi, Wis./Eau Claire North) scored the Blugolds' runs in the fourth. Acker led Eau Claire in the game with two of the team's five hits while she and Sara Baumgartner (Jr.-Arcadia, Wis.) each picked up an RBI.

In the second game, Central again started out strong, scoring four runs in the opening inning. Despite five Blugold hits, they left six runners stranded on bases. Baumgartner led Eau Claire with two of the hits while three others each picked up one.

Jess Hegseth (Fr.-Zumbrota , Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa ) earned the losses for Eau Claire in the circle, pitching just 3.1 innings on the day. She faced a total of 21 batters and gave up nine hits and eight runs. She falls to 1-4 on the season.

Kassie Krummel (Fr.-Walcott, Iowa/Durant) saw action in 6.2 innings and struck out two batters while facing 28. Ashley Meinen (So.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) also pitched in the first game and struck out one batter.

Eau Claire falls to 2-6 on the season while Central improves to 14-5

The Blugolds will be back in action with a doubleheader against Simpson College (Iowa) tomorrow. Game one is set to start at 2 p.m. in Indianola, Iowa.