SUPERIOR, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire softball team pushed its winning streak to eight games, defeating UW-Superior twice at Liebaert Field today.
The Blugolds won game one 10-1 while picking up a 4-2 victory in game two. Eau Claire is now 24-10 overall and 10-2 in the conference. Superior falls to 10-17 on the season and 4-8 in WIAC play.
In game one, the Blugolds opened the game with three runs and while Superior scored once in the fourth, the Blugolds scored a total of seven runs in the final three innings to capture the win.
After the fifth inning, the Blugolds found themselves up 5-0. With two runners on and two out in the sixth inning, Sarah Fern (Jr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center) came up and hit a home run, her eighth of the season, which brought home Amanda Fischer (Fr.-Wausau, Wis./West) and Taylor Pierce (Fr.-Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon). In the final inning, Jess Freagon (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) homered and Amanda Houle (So.-Chisago City, Minn./Chisago Lakes) scored later in the inning after a sacrifice fly by Fischer to give the Blugolds a 10-1 lead.
Fern and Nikki Bromelkamp (Sr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) led the game with three RBI while Pierce had a game-high three hits and three runs. The Blugolds finished with 12 hits.
Emma Wishau (So.-Waterford, Wis./Union) pitched the complete game, her 13th of the season, and recorded the win to improve to 9-6 on the season. She struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed just four hits and one run, though it was unearned.
In game two, the Blugolds built a 4-0 lead by the fourth inning while Superior scored both of its runs in the final inning.
In the second inning, Emily Muller (Sr.-Lancaster, Wis.) and Courtney Nelson (Fr.-Mosinee, Wis./SPASH) scored runs after a Casey Arnold (Fr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) single to give the Blugolds a 2-0 lead.
Fischer then hit a homer to left field in the top of the third and Freagon followed with a solo home run in the top of the fourth to put the Blugolds up 4-0.
Superior made things interesting at the end. The Yellowjackets scored one run with no outs in the seventh and after a pitching change, scored one more before the Blugolds were able to get out of the inning. Superior left two on base as the Blugolds won 4-2.
Muller led the game with two hits while Arnold led the game with two RBI.
Ashley Meinen (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) started the game and recorded the win to improve to 10-3 on the season. She allowed five hits and two runs, neither of which were earned, as she pitched six innings. Laura Raflik (Fr.-Plover, Wis./Pacelli) pitched during the final inning and earned the save while striking out two batters.
The Blugolds will wrap up the regular season with three doubleheaders at home this week. The first doubleheader is scheduled for Tuesday against Saint Mary's University (Minn.) beginning at 4 p.m.
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