In game one, the first scoring play would come from Illinois Wesleyan in the bottom of the 2nd inning. With two outs, a fielder's choice play would put IWU's Katie Caulfield on first base. After stealing second and advancing to third on another fielder's choice, Caulfield would score on a hard hit RBI single. The inning would end 1-0 in favor of the Titans.
The Blugolds' only score came in the top of the 6th inning, led by Nikki Brooks (Sr.-Hammond, WI/St. Croix Central), who started the rally with a single to left-center field. Darby Raffel (Fr.-Middleton, WI) would enter the game to pinch run for Brooks. Two bunts later, Raffel stood on third base with Amanda Fischer (Sr.- Wausau, WI/West) at the plate. A high fly ball to left field was caught for the second out of the inning but not before Heffel would score to tie the game at 1-1.
UW-Eau Claire would not see another run score for the remainder of game one. Illinois Wesleyan scored one more run in the bottom of the 7th to seal the deal and grab a 2-1 victory.
Taylor Pierce, Rachel Heffel, and Abby Hansen all went 1-for-2 from the box for the Blugolds while Fischer recorded the only RBI in game one.
IWU was first two score once again in game two and clung to a 1-0 lead until the top of the 5th inning when Kelsey Meredith (So.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) scored on an RBI double to left-center by Leah Wolff (So.-Middleton, WI), tying the scoring 1-1. However, the celebration would be short lived. With two outs in the bottom of the 5th, the Titans brought the sticks, hitting a home run over the center field fence that would score two runs and put IWU up 3-1 heading into the final two innings.
While they would come close, the Blugolds couldn't grab another run and game two ended in a 3-1 loss to Illinois Wesleyan.
Kenzie Winning (So.-Waupun, WI) went 1-for-2 in the second game to lead UW-Eau Claire.
UW-Eau Claire moves to 1-5 on the season. They head to Decatur, IL on March 20th to face Millikin University with first pitches at 3:00 and 5:00pm.
-MRW-