By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (blugolds.com) - After losing six straight conference games, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team righted the ship for the time being in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play. On Saturday, the Blugolds got the best of UW-Stevens Point on the road, sweeping them in dominant fashion.

A pair of four-inning runs, coming in the fourth and sixth, propelled UW-Eau Claire to a 9-2 game one win. In the leadoff spot, Rachel Heffel (Sr.-Racine, WI/Case) ripped three hits, one being a triple, and drove in two Blugolds. Tayler Mort (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) and Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) both went 2-for-4 in the win as Mort had two RBIs, and Noetzelman drove in one.

Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) earned the victory, pitching five innings and striking out four Pointers. She allowed six hits, two walks, and two earned runs. Cheyenne Johnson (Fr.-Poplar, WI/Northwestern) shut the door in the final two frames with two 'K's and no hits surrendered.

In the second game, the explosive offensive output from the Blugolds continued. The mercy rule came into play after five innings, as Eau Claire topped Point by a score of 11-1. Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) drove in nearly half of those runs with five RBIs in a 3-for-3 performance. Heffel added another three-hit game as well to make her total six on the afternoon.

While the offense was spectacular, perhaps even more impressive was the combined pitching efforts of freshmen hurlers Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) and Stephanie Wilczynski (Fr.-Naperville, IL/Waubonsie Valley). The duo surrendered only one total hit and Peka's run she gave up went unearned. They also combined for a ratio of three strikeouts to two walks.

The much-needed WIAC wins have the Blugolds at 4-6 in the conference now. Non-conference action on Sunday sees Eau Claire hosting St. Scholastica for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. from Bollinger Field.