WHITEWATER, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team lost to UW-Stevens Point 9-4 in the opening round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament on Friday at UW-Whitewater. The third-seeded Blugolds fell behind early, and despite a late push, couldn't recover against the sixth-seeded Pointers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UW-Stevens Point (28-11) took the lead on a run-scoring single in the top of the second, and led the rest of the way.
- The Pointers broke the game open with three runs in the fourth inning. It started with a run-scoring wild pitch, and they tacked on two more runs with help from a Blugold error later in the frame.
- UW-Eau Claire (27-14) pulled one back with a run off a Pointers error in the bottom of the fourth, slashing the deficit to 4-1.
- An RBI single and RBI fielder's choice added two more runs to UW-Stevens Point's cause in the fifth. But the Blugolds had an answer in the form of a three-run homer by Molly Marquardt (So. - Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) in the bottom of the sixth, making it a 6-4 ball game heading into the seventh.
- The Pointers added some key insurance runs in the top of the seventh with a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly. The Blugolds couldn't overcome the five-run deficit in the bottom half.
- Kenna Strunsee (Sr. - Waukesha, Wis./South) had two hits atop the Blugolds' lineup. That accounted for half of the team's hits.
- Jacie Schultz (Sr. - Lake Crystal, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) started in the circle and pitched 3.1 innings. She allowed three earned runs.
- The loss knocked the Blugolds out of the tournament. The conference tournament switched to a single-elimination format this season.
UP NEXT
The Blugolds will await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field on Monday, May 12.
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