By Kyle Naber, UWEC Sports Info

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team opened Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) on Tuesday, coming away with an 8-0 and 3-2 wins over UW-La Crosse.

Game 1 box score | Game 2 box score

In game one, the Blugolds took advantage of key opportunities early by scoring four runs in the second inning capped by a Leah Wolff (Jr.-Middleton, WI) RBI single. 

Morgan Lecheler (Jr.-Menomonie, WI) led the way from the plate, going 3-for-3 while Evie Schaller (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, WI) and Bri Calder (Fr.-Corcoran, MN/Rockford) recorded two RBI each. Zana Lorbetske (Sr.-Rhinelander, WI/Three Lakes) pitched six shutout innings along with five strikeouts en route to earning her fifth win of the season. 

In game two, the Blugolds started off just the same taking a lead in the second inning. This time it was just one run thanks to a Sam Noetzelman (Jr.-Delano, MN) single to right. The Eagles came back and took the lead in the fifth inning after a triple brought in the first run and set up the go ahead run.

Eau Claire came right back and tied it after Wolff knocked in Darby Raffel (So.Middleton, WI). The Blugolds and Eagles would need extra innings to decide the fate of the second game. The Blugolds put the pressure on in the eighth and after some heads up base running and an error by La Crosse the Blugolds took the series.

Lauren Blasczyk (Jr.-Appleton, WI/East) turned in a great start pitching seven full innings and striking out seven, while allowing just two runs on five hits. Lorbetske came into the game in the eighth and earned the save, her first of the season.

Brooke Varian (Fr.-Madison, WI/West) led the Blugolds at the plate, going 3-for-3. 

The Blugolds (11-9, 2-0 WIAC) will be busy this week, playing another doubleheader on the road Wednesday against the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, before returning home to take on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday.