DULUTH, Minn. (Blugolds.com) — The UW-Eau Claire Softball team took to the road Sunday afternoon in the pursuit of two wins. What they found was just that, picking up one over The College of St. Scholastica and another against Northland College on the CSS campus.
CSS Box Score | NC Box Score
In game one, the Blugolds (24-14) took an early lead following a double from Deanna Gilane (Sr.-South Milwaukee, WI to open up the game. Her hit would score one run before Leah Wolff (So.-Middleton, WI) had a double of her own to score Gilane. With bases loaded and two outs, a fly ball to left field would end the inning with a 2-0 lead in favor of UW-Eau Claire.
The Blugolds had a big 2nd inning with five runs on six hits. Kelsey Meredith (So.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) got the momentum going for Eau Claire with a double to center field. A stolen base and an error would plate the run and give UWEC a 3-0 lead. Next up was Amanda Fischer (Sr.-Wausau, WI/West) with a solo shot over the left center fence. Wolff put a line drive single to the outfield to get on base. With one runner in scoring position and another on first base, Kenzie Winning (So.-Waupun, WI) had a blooper over the 2nd baseman to score one. Blugolds led 6-0 when Nikki Brooks (Sr.-Hammond, WI/St. Croix Central) singled through the right side and scored Wolff from second.
UW-Eau Claire chalked up three more runs in the 3rd inning and another one in the 4th as Fischer sent yet another ball past the outfield fence, this time a line drive over center field. Heading into the 5th inning, the Blugolds led St. Scholastica 11-0. Winning hit a two-out homerun that scored two. Game one ended with a 13-0 score in favor of Eau Claire, defeating the Saints in five innings.
Lauren Blasczyk (So.-Appleton, WI/East) was the winning pitcher in game one. She struck out three and allowed just three hits. Zana Lorbetske (Jr.-Rhinelander, WI/Three Lakes) threw two innings for the Blugolds, striking out five and holding CSS to only one hit.
Northland College was the team to beat in game two. The Blugolds hit the ground running once again and jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the 1st inning. Winning lead the hitting with a double that scored the first two runs and Brooks followed close behind with a blooper behind third base to score two more.
In the 2nd inning, Wolff drove in two runs on a single to center field. The Blugold lead extended 6-0 but that would change in the top of the 5th as Northland plated three runs off two hits. UW-Eau Claire answered back in the bottom of that inning. They would score one run thanks to hits from Sam Noetzelman (So.-Delano, MN), Meredith and Fischer. Game two would go through all seven innings before ending with a final 7-3 score.
Wolff led the offensive attack as she went 5-for-7 from the box that included a double and three RBIs. Winning went 4-for-7 with a double and the homerun and six RBIs. Pitcher Laura Raflik (Sr. Plover, WI/Pacelli) had her first at bat of the season in game one which resulted in hit.
Fischer also had a memorable day at the plate. Going 4-for-7 with two RBIs, Fischer added two homeruns in game one. Those two hits would be significant for Fischer as she broke the UW-Eau Claire record for homeruns in a single season. The previous record was set in 2006 by eventual National Champion Casey Leisgang (2005-08) and stood at 11, which Fischer tied in 2014. Fischer recorded her 12th round-tripper Sunday to move into the top spot. The senior is also among the top ten individuals in eight other single season hitting categories. One such category is the career homerun record. Another record set by Leisgang, Fischer's two hits in the CSS game tied the chart at 38. She has also shattered the UWEC career stolen bases record. Previously set by Katie Stalker (2007-2010) at 75 stolen bases, Fischer entered the season with 72 career steals and currently sits at 98.
The Blugolds hit the road one final time in the regular season on Monday as the travel to Winona, Minn. They will face Saint Mary's University in a non-conference doubleheader with first pitches at 3 and 5 pm.
-MRW-