LA CROSSE, Wis. (
www.blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team was back on the road on Thursday as they continued Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play down at UW-La Crosse. The offense got off to a hot start in both games as the Blugolds found leads in both games. The opening contest saw the bats catch fire as Eau Claire recorded ten hits to earn an 8-4 win. Game two saw a defensive battle between the Blugolds and Eagles that ended with a walk off homer and a 4-2 UWEC defeat.
UW-Eau Claire found their groove early as
Claire Beck (Jr. – Jefferson, Wis.) batted in
Kenna Strunsee (Jr. - Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) after Strunsee's lead off single to give the Blugolds a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. UW-La Crosse answered in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly to bring the two WIAC schools to a 1-1 tie after one inning of play.
Claire Beck wasn't satisfied after the first inning and led the Blugold offense in RBI's with four as she hit Strunsee across home plate in the top of the third and recorded a single down the left field line in the fifth to score Strunsee and
Breann Blanchard (Fr. – Rockford, Minn.) and increase the UWEC lead to 4-1. The Blugolds weren't done in the fifth as
Hailey Hagedorn (So. – Farmington, Minn.) loaded the bases with a single to left field. With three runners on,
Molly Marquardt (Fr. – Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln Way West) doubled the Eau Claire lead with her first career grand slam and fifth home run of the year, making it 8-1 in favor of UWEC.
UWL sound answers in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings with a pair of RBI singles, but
Lauren Trottier (Fr. – Burlington, Wis./Elkhorn) and the Blugold defense shut down the comeback attempt to hang on for the 8-4 victory in game one. During Trottier's three innings on the pitcher's rubber, she surrendered just four hits, three hits, and two walks while striking out six UWL batters, and earned her third save of the season.
Jocelyn Hancock (Sr. – Verona, Wis.) earned her third win of the season with her four innings on the mound. Hancock gave up just four hits and one run as she kept the Eagles quiet.
Game two saw a defense battle between the Blugolds and Eagles as neither side lit up the scoreboard until the fifth inning when
Ashlyn Grimm (Fr. – Auburndale, Wis.) smacked her first collegiate solo home run over the left field fence to give the Blugolds the 1-0 lead.
Kenna Strunsee followed that up with a double during the next at bat.
Paige Lathrop (So. – South Milwaukee, Wis.) ripped a single into left field to score Strunsee from second base before the end of the half inning to increase the Blugold lead to 2-0.
Jacie Schultz (Jr. – Lake Crystal, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome) was the driving force of the Blugold defense in the early innings as she went five innings with five hits, no runs, and four strikeouts.
The Eagles found their first answer of game two in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to cut the UWEC lead to 2-1. UWL then tied the game in the bottom of the seventh and recorded a walk off home run two batters later to hand Eau Claire their ninth defeat of the season, 4-2.
The Blugolds (13-9, WIAC 2-2) will be back at their field on Saturday, April 20
th when they continue WIAC play and host #23 ranked UW-Whitewater. Game one is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Bollinger Fields as UWEC holds Youth Day.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports.
