OSHKOSH, Wis. (
www.blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team continued play in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) on Friday with an elimination game against UW-Stout. A fast start by the opponents was too much for UW-Eau Claire to come back from as the Blugolds' fell 5-1 to end their season.
UWEC found themselves with an early deficit in the first innings as UW-Stout ripped an RBI single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead. After scoreless Eau Claire innings in the first and second, the Blue Devils increased the UWEC deficit to 3-0 in the top of the third with a pair of RBIs.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning by both sides, UW-Eau Claire found their first run of the day in the bottom of the sixth as
Kenna Strunsee (Jr. – Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) blasted her first home run of the season over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 3-1. Tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh as the Blugolds got to their final half inning with a four-run disadvantage.
Megan Patterson (Jr. – Johnsburg, Ill.) and
Siri Springer (Fr. – Lino Lakes, Minn./Mounds Park Academy) started the comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of walks to find the tying run in the on-deck circle. The Blugolds were unable to cross home plate in their final inning as they recorded three straight outs during their next three at bats to fall 5-1 to the Blue Devils.
The Blugolds finish the season with an overall record of 18-18 and an overall WIAC record of 7-9. The 5
th seeded Blugolds complete their 23
rd consecutive trip to the WIAC tournament and recorded just their fourth season under 20 wins during head coach, Leslie Huntingon's, 23
rd year at the helm.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports.
