COLUMBUS, Ga. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team swept a pair of games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, defeating Chicago 9-8 in walk-off fashion and Denison 5-2. The Blugolds improved to 3-1 at the tournament with the pair of victories.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blugolds (4-2) won their first game of the day in dramatic fashion, with Brooklyn Swanepoel (Fr. - New Richmond, Wis.) delivering a two-RBI, walk-off single to cap a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh against Chicago.
- UW-Eau Claire fell behind 3-0 after the top of the first against the Maroons, but answered with five runs in the bottom half of the frame to surge into the lead. Claire Beck (Sr. - Jefferson, Wis.) belted a three-run homer and Megan Patterson (Sr. - Johnsburg, Ill.) added a two-RBI single. The Blugolds didn't score again until the seventh though.
- Chicago eventually tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth and took the lead with two more in the top of the seventh. The Blugolds trailed 8-5 entering the bottom of the seventh.
- UW-Eau Claire got a two-run home run from Kenna Strunsee (Sr. - Waukesha, Wis./South) with nobody out in the seventh, slashing the deficit to 8-7. The Blugolds got the tying and winning runs on base with nobody out, but waited until their last out to end the game. Swanepoel hit a two-RBI single to left field to win the game for UW-Eau Claire.
- Lauren Trottier (So. - Burlington, Wis./Elkhorn) earned the win with three innings of relief from the circle. She held Chicago to three runs and struck out one.
- In their second game of the day, the Blugolds rode a complete game performance from Jacie Schultz (Sr. - Lake Crystal, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) in the circle. She held Denison to two runs and struck out four.
- Mila Photopoulos (So. - Mundelein, Ill.) hit a two-RBI single early to give the Blugolds the lead against Denison. UW-Eau Claire broke open a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fifth. Strunsee hit an RBI double to break the tie and put the Blugolds ahead for good.
- On the day, Paige Lathrop (Jr. - South Milwaukee, Wis.) went 5 for 8 at the plate. Strunsee and Beck drove in three runs apiece.
UP NEXT
UW-Eau Claire plays its final two games of the tournament on Sunday, March 2. The Blugolds take on LaGrange at 9 a.m. Eastern and Spalding at 11 a.m. Eastern.
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