CHICAGO, Ill. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire softball team split with the 21st-ranked University of Chicago, winning the first game and losing the second, at Stagg Field today.

Eau Claire came from behind in game one to win 6-5. However, Chicago scored eight runs in the first inning of the second game and added two more in the third and the Blugolds were never able to recover, falling 10-4.

The Blugolds were first to strike in game one, scoring two runs in the second inning. With two outs in the second, Jess Freagon (So.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) doubled down the left field line to drive in Ainsley Klar (Sr.-La Crosse, Wis./Aquinas) and Nikki Bromelkamp (So.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) followed with a single to drive in Freagon for the second run.

Eau Claire's lead was short-lived as Chicago scored four runs in the bottom of the second. Eau Claire added another run in the top of the third, with Katie Stalker (Sr.-Madison, Wis./La Follette) scoring, while Chicago scored in the bottom of the inning to make the score 5-3.

The Blugolds added one run in the fifth and two in the seventh to take the 6-5 lead. Stalker scored for Eau Claire in the fifth while Tamara Zeman (Sr.-Lodi, Wis.) and Jenny Hess (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) scored runs in the seventh.

In game two, Chicago scored 10 runs before the Blugolds could get on the board. The Blugolds did what they could, scoring three runs in the fourth to cut the Chicago lead to seven while they added one in the seventh but six runs was as close as Eau Claire would get.

Emily Muller (So.-Lancaster, Wis.)r scored twice in the second game while Hess and Freagon each added one run.

The Blugolds had 15 hits on the day, including nine in the first game, while they committed three errors. Chicago recorded 26 hits for the day, 18 alone in game two, while finishing with two errors.

Ashley Meinen (So.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) earned the win for the Blugolds in the circle in the first game as she pitched 5.2 innings and struck out one batter. She also struck out three batters in game two as she pitched 5.1 innings. Kassie Krummel (Fr.-Walcott, Iowa/Durant) saw action in both games while Jess Hegseth (Fr.-Zumbrota , Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa ) was the starting pitcher in game two.

Eau Claire is now 3-11 on the season while Chicago is 11-4-1.

The Blugolds will wrap up their 10-game spring break trip tomorrow with a doubleheader against Dominican University (Ill.). Game one will get underway at noon and the second one will follow.