EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire softball team secured two victories over Saint Mary's University (Minn.), winning game one 6-1 and game two 9-1 in five innings at Gelein Field today.
The Blugolds' winning streak now stands at 10 games as they improve to 26-10 overall. Saint Mary's falls to 15-17 on the season.
In game one, the Blugolds scored two runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
In the bottom of the first with two runners on base and two outs, Emily Muller (Sr.-Lancaster, Wis.) came to the plate and hit a single to score Taylor Pierce (Fr.-Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon). Sarah Fern (Jr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center) scored later in the inning following a Nikki Bromelkamp (Sr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) single to left field.
In the fifth with the bases loaded, Amanda Fischer (Fr.-Wausau, Wis./West) and Pierce made it home after a double to left center by Muller. The Cardinals were able to hold on after that and threw two Blugold runners out at home while Eau Claire left three runners stranded on base.
While Saint Mary's scored one run in the top of the sixth, the Blugolds answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Jenny Hess (Jr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.Lincoln) scored after Fischer singled, and Fischer later scored on a Bromelkamp sacrifice fly.
Muller led the game with three RBI while she and Bromelkamp tied for a game-high with two hits each. The Blugolds had eight hits and were helped by six Saint Mary's errors.
Emma Wishau (So.-Waterford, Wis./Union) pitched six innings and allowed five hits while striking out three batters to earn the win and improve to 10-6. Laura Raflik (Fr.-Plover, Wis./Pacelli) pitched the final inning and struck out one batter while allowing two hits.
In the second game, the Blugolds scored runs in every inning to end the game after five innings.
After Hess put the Blugolds on the board, Bromelkamp drove in Muller and Fern to give Eau Claire a 3-0 lead following the first inning. Emily Haluska (Jr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH), Hess and Pierce scored runs in the second to give the Blugolds a 6-0 lead.
In the third inning, Haluska again scored on a wild pitch while Muller and Bromelkamp scored runs in the bottom of the fourth to give the Blugolds a 9-1 lead. Saint Mary's scored its lone run in the fourth. In the fifth inning, the Cardinals started off with a triple but the Blugolds were able to get three straight outs following the hit to win the game.
The Blugolds finished with 10 hits with Hess leading the game with three. Bromelkamp had a game-high two RBI.
Ashley Meinen (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) pitched five innings and allowed five hits and one run while striking out five batters. She improves to 11-3 on the season.
The Blugolds have two conference doubleheaders this weekend to complete the regular season. They host UW-Oshkosh on Saturday at 2 p.m. and UW-Whitewater at noon on Sunday.
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