ANGOLA, Ind. – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team continued their run in 2025 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament on Friday with a pair of elimination games. After defeating the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in their first game of the day, the Blugolds held a memorable 8-7 comeback victory over No. 19 Baldwin Wallace in ten innings to reach the regional final.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UW-Eau Claire (29-15) came out firing on all cylinders in their first game of the day as they knocked home three runs on five hits against Pittsburgh in the first two innings.
• Kenna Strunsee and the Blugolds added the final run in the fourth inning as Strunsee went a perfect three for three from the plate and captured two RBIs in the 4-1 win.
• Jacie Schultz earned her 13^th win of the season with four innings pitched and surrendering just three hits and no runs. Lauren Trottier came in for relief in the fifth inning and allowed just two hits, one run, and collected two strikeouts.
• In game two, No.19 Baldwin Wallace (32-6) jumped to an early 7-0 lead in the first four innings on seven hits.
• In the top of the fifth, Kiara Schubert made her NCAA postseason debut in the circle and helped tip the scales with six scoreless innings, six hits, three strikeouts, and one walk. Schubert's dominant debut tallied as her first win of the season.
• To compliment the shutdown defense, the Blugolds rallied in the fifth inning with five runs off just one hit, four of which came from four succeeding at bats. After getting hit by a pitch, Norah Kutnick crossed home on a bases loaded walk. Breann Blanchard added the second run on a RBI single from Brooklyn Swanepoel. Bella Florio tallied a third on a passed ball, and Emmy Olson earned the fourth on a fielder's choice. Swanepoel found the final run of the inning on a sacrifice steal by Kenna Strunsee to cut the deficit to 7-5.
• After a scoreless sixth inning, the Blugolds were down to their final three outs in the bottom of the seventh. Four straight singles from Kenna Strunsee, Paige Lathrop, Molly Marquardt, and Claire Beck loaded the bases and scored one run with zero outs on the board. Paige Lathrop found the game tying run in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder's choice to send the game to extra innings.
• In the extra frames, the Blugolds held the Yellowjackets off the board as the two teams traded two scoreless innings. The bottom of the 10^th held all the dramatics as Eau Claire loaded the bases off a pair of infield singles and a walk. Molly Marquardt became the hero of the day with a first pitch sacrifice fly to center field that saw Brooklyn Swanepoel tag up from third base, winning the game for Eau Claire and earn a shot to play in the Regional Championship.

UP NEXT      

The Blugolds will play the hosts, Trine University, on Saturday, May 17 in the Regional Final. First pitch of game one at the SportONE/Parkview Softball Field is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern. UW-Eau Claire will need to defeat Trine twice to advance to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugolds.com or on our app, Blugold Sports, and on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
 
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