CLERMONT, Fla. (Blugolds.com) — The UW-Eau Claire women's softball team continued its hot start to the season with two more victories at the NTC Complex in Clermont, Fla.
The Blugolds (6-0) handed Benedictine University (Ill.) (2-4) a 3-0 loss in the first game Monday evening, and in the second game they defeated Wellesley (Mass.) (1-3) 10-4.
The first game of the evening was a pitcher's duel with Emma Wishau (Jr.-Burlington, Wis./Waterford Union) turning in another strong performance this season. Wishau kept Benedictine off the board through the fifth inning, giving the Blugold offense time to get started.
Deanna Gilane (So.-South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) homered to lead off the inning, giving UW-Eau Claire the 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, with Nikki Brooks (So.-New Richmond, Wis./St. Croix Central) on second base, Amanda Fischer (So.-Wausau, Wis./West) doubled down the left field line to score Brooks for the 2-0 lead.
The Blugolds tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth for a 3-0 lead and that was plenty for Wishau, who closed out the complete game shutout allowing only three hits in seven innings.
The second game saw much more of an offensive barrage from both teams. The Blugolds got on the board in the first inning with an unearned run for the 1-0 lead. But in the second, Wellesley struck for three runs to take the 3-1 lead.
Both teams traded runs the rest of the way and they went into the seventh inning tied 4-4. But in the seventh inning, the Blugolds erupted to the tune of six runs to pull away. What made the rally more impressive was that it all came with two outs.
Emily Haluska (Sr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) tripled to left field to start the rally. With the bases loaded, Brooks tripled to center field to clear the bases. Casey Arnold (So.-Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna) and Fischer followed with back-to-back doubles and the Blugolds scored another unearned run to finish off the rally.
Zana Lorbetske (Fr.-Rhinelander, Wis./Three Lakes) pitched the final three innings and did not give up a run to pick up the win.
Haluska was 2-for-4, Brooks was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Arnold was 2-for-2 with three RBIs to lead the Blugolds offensively. In the first game, it was Sarah Fern (Sr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center) who was 2-for-3 and Gilane who was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI to lead the Blugold offense.
-JM-