By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information

CLERMONT, Fla. (blugolds.com) - Day two of the PFX Games for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team saw the Blugolds face two opponents from the midwest in a morning slate in Florida. They opened up with a hard-fought victory over the University of Chicago, and followed it with a 7-1 win over Carthage College.

The early-bird special between the Blugolds and the Chicago Maroons was a bit short on hits produced, with each team tallying four apiece, but UW-Eau Claire still put the ball in play and capitalized on the three errors committed by Chicago.

After the Maroons used back-to-back doubles in the first inning to jump out to an early lead, the Blugolds took advantage of two Chicago errors (both with two outs) in the bottom half to score three runs. The Maroons got a run back in the second, as did Eau Claire via a Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West) RBI single. The sophomore contributed two of the team's four base-hits in the 4-2 win on way to a 2-for-3 game. No more runs would be scored following the second inning.

This was in large part due to continued stellar pitching from the Blugolds. Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) remained perfect on the year, improving her record to 5-0 with four innings pitched. Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) closed the door with three frames of no-hit ball to earn her first save of the season.

In the matinée against Carthage, Blasczyk got the ball once again to start versus the Lady Reds. She went the distance, allowing a mere two hits and one earned run while striking out five. The lone run was surrendered in the second to give Carthage the lead at the time, but the Blugolds would answer back in the top of the third with an RBI single from Carlie Christensen (Jr.-Ellsworth, WI/River Falls).

Christiansen would give the Blugolds the lead for good by driving in another run with a double in the fifth to break the tie. Eau Claire busted the game open with a four-run sixth. They got a pinch-hit, two-run single from Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi), followed up by a two-run double from Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN). Tayler Mort (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) tacked on one final run with a double in the seventh.

Emily Pomykalski (Sr.-Cross Plains, WI/Middleton) continued her strong start to the year, improving her batting average to .353 with a 2-for-3 performance in the game as well.

The Blugolds conclude their Spring Break trip on Wednesday afternoon with games against Thomas (Maine) and Wooster.