Softball on Spring Break - Blugolds Wrap up Spring Break Trip with Two More Wins

Softball on Spring Break - Blugolds Wrap up Spring Break Trip with Two More Wins

CLERMONT, Fla. (Blugolds.com) — The UW-Eau Claire softball team wrapped up a very successful spring break trip early Friday with another doubleheader sweep, this time defeating Allegheny (Pa.) 10-2 in the first game and Ramapo (N.J.) 3-2 in the second game.

Against Allegheny (7-10), the game was scoreless until the fourth inning. Four errors in the inning led to three unearned runs for the Blugolds (10-1) as they jumped out to the 3-0 lead. But in the bottom of the inning, Allegheny responded with two runs of their own to cut the lead to 3-2.

But in the fifth the Blugolds pulled away with four runs to take the 7-2 lead. Jenny Hess (Sr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) singled and stole second to start the inning. After a walk, Sarah Fern (Sr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center) singled to bring home Hess. Later in the inning, Amanda Fischer (So.-Wausau, Wis./West) tripled to bring home three more runs to cap off the inning.

UW-Eau Claire added three more runs in the sixth, and the game finished after six innings. Laura Raflik (So.-Plover, Wis./Pacelli) pitched four innings and gave up two runs but picked up the win. Zana Lorbetske (Fr.-Rhinelander, Wis./Three Lakes) pitched two scoreless innings to finish out the game.

Fern accounted for two of the five hits for the Blugolds and added three RBIs. Fischer had the other big hit in the game, the two RBI triple.

The second game with Ramapo (4-5) was much closer and it took a run in the seventh for the Blugolds (11-1) to secure the victory.

UW-Eau Claire started the scoring in the first with two runs to take the two-run lead. Both Blugold runs were scored on a throwing error, the second of the inning.

The Roadrunners responded with two runs in the top of the second to tie it up at two runs apiece.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh inning. Abby Hansen (Fr.-Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna) pinch-hit for Amanda Houle (Jr.-Chisago City, Minn./Chisago Lakes) and reached on a bunt single to start the inning. Hansen then stole second and that set the stage for Hess, who singled to right field to bring home Hansen with the walk-off hit.

Lorbetske pitched a clean seventh inning and picked up the win. Emma Wishau (Jr.-Burlington, Wis./Waterford Union) started and went six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits but took the no-decision.

The Blugolds once again had just five hits, with five different players picking up one each. Hess, Fern, Hansen, Deanna Gilane (So.-South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) and Casey Arnold (So.-Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna) picked up the hits, all singles.

That wraps up the spring break trip for the Blugolds, who will return to action Friday, March 29, when they travel to Indianola, IA for two games. The first game will be against Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) at 2 p.m. and the second game will be against Simpson College (Iowa) at 4 p.m.  

-JM-