MENOMONIE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire softball team dropped two games on day two of the 2014 WIAC Championship to end its tournament run. The Blugolds fell 9-1 to UW-Whitewater in game one and then lost to UW-La Crosse 3-2.
In game one, the Blugolds fell behind early and couldn't come back. Whitewater jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings and led 5-0 after the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, with two outs and the bases loaded, Kenzie Winning (Fr.-Waupun, Wis.) scored the Blugolds' lone run on a wild pitch. The Warhawks added four more runs before the end of the game.
Eau Claire finished with four hits and three errors while Whitewater had 14 hits and two errors.
Three different Blugolds saw time in the circle with Emma Wishau (Sr.-Burlington, Wis./Waterford Union) starting the game. She pitched two innings, giving up five hits and four runs, only two of which were earned, while striking out three batters. Zana Lorbetske (So.-Rhinelander, Wis./Three Lakes) came into the game in the second inning and pitched 1.2 innings, striking out two batters and allowing four walks. Laura Raflik (Jr.-Plover, Wis./Pacelli) came into the game in the fourth inning and gave up nine hits and five runs, only three of which were earned. Wishau closed the game and was given the loss, dropping to 7-6 on the season.
In the second game, the Blugolds again fell behind early but this time narrowly came up short. La Crosse led 3-0 after three innings but the Blugolds answered in the top of the fourth with Nikki Brooks (Jr.-New Richmond, Wis./St. Croix Central) scoring on a Casey Arnold (Jr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) groundout. Eau Claire held the Eagles scoreless after that while Sam Noetzelman (Fr.-Delano, Minn.) scored one more run for the Blugolds in the top of the seventh but that was as close as they would get.
Noetzelman and Winning led the Blugolds with two hits each as the team had seven. La Crosse finished the game with eight hits.
Lauren Blasczyk (Fr.-Appleton, Wis./East) started the game in the circle and gave up eight hits and three runs, two of which were earned, while striking out two batters. She pitched four innings and was given the loss, falling to 4-4 this season. Lorbetske closed the game, pitching the final two innings and striking out two batters.
The Blugolds end the season with a 25-16 record.
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