By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information

CLERMONT, Fla. (blugolds.com) - The final day of competition from the PFX Games and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team's spring break trip took place on Wednesday afternoon. The No. 8-ranked Blugolds faced Thomas College out of Waterville, Maine as well as The College of Wooster from Ohio to conclude their time in sunny Florida.

Cheyenne Johnson (Fr.-Poplar, WI/Northwestern) was handed the starting pitcher duties for the first time this year against Thomas. The freshman took a perfect game into the fifth, and ultimately final, inning. However, after retiring the first batter in the fifth, an error lost the perfect game status. Stephanie Wilczynski (Fr.-Naperville, IL/Waubonsie Valley) took over in relief and got the remaining two outs to keep the no-hitter intact despite a run coming across on a groundout. Johnson struck out six to earn her first career win.

Patience at the plate was the story of the Blugolds offense in this one, as they were walked a total of ten times by the Terriers' pitching staff. UW-Eau Claire mashed their fair share as well, tallying nine hits in the victory. Rachel Heffel (Sr.-Racine, WI/Case) went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, Tayler Mort (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs, and Darby Raffel (Jr.-Middleton, WI) 2-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in on way to the 13-1 win.

Hits were aplenty in the final game of the trip against Wooster. The teams combined for 25 total hits in the contest, with UW-Eau Claire out-hitting the Fighting Scots 13-12 in their 9-4 win. Heffel continued her surge at the plate with a 4-for-4 game, scoring three runs from the leadoff spot. Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) contributed a trio of hits, and Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West) hit her second home run on the season with a three-run shot in the third inning to give the Blugolds the lead for good.

Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) and Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) split the time pitching with the former earning the win and the latter the save.

Eau Claire finished their spring trip with an 11-1 record, improving their overall record to 14-2 on the year.

The Blugolds softball team returns to the midwest for the remainder of their season and will be back on the field with a weekend series set in Iowa on March 31 and April 1. First up, a double header against Simpson College on that Friday, followed by a double dip at Central on Saturday, April 1.