By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
OSHKOSH, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The hits keep coming. Unfortunately, for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team, these hits are not the good kind. Following the two walk-off, one-run losses to UW-Whitewater on Saturday, the Blugolds fell short by a single run in consecutive games again on Sunday at the hands of UW-Oshkosh.
As was the case on Saturday, UW-Eau Claire lost both games by the same score; this time, it was 2-1 in favor of the Titans in each portion of Sunday's doubleheader. Game two was another heartbreaker for the Blugolds, as Oshkosh came from behind in the eleventh inning for the third walk-off defeat in two days for Eau Claire.
In the opening game, Oshkosh jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Neither team could muster a run until the Blugolds plated one in the final inning, but it was too little too late.
Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) limited the Titan offense, giving up only three hits, albeit one of those the definitive two-run homer in the first. She fanned five Oshkosh hitters and went four straight innings without allowing a hit.
Dominant pitching could also be said for the Titans. Their two hurlers combined to allow three hits as well. Emily Pomykalski (Sr.-Cross Plains, WI/Middleton), Emma Lehman (So.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park), and Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) picked up the base-hits in the loss.
Game two was similar in the sense that offensive output for both teams came at a premium. Both teams' pitching staffs combined for ten scoreless innings before the seal was broken in the eleventh.
Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Chi-Hi) blasted a round-tripper to left field to take the lead in the top half of the eleventh. However, the Blugolds defense was unable to get three outs to secure the split on the day. The team committed two errors in the inning, of the five in the game, which led to the Titans scoring the tying and game-winning runs.
Eau Claire outhit Oshkosh nine to seven with Schaller, Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West), and Rachel Heffel (So.-Racine, WI/Case) all having multi-hit games.
Following the difficult four-game stretch, the Blugolds softball team dropped to 17-7 on the season and 2-4 in conference play. They will have a chance to regain their footing next weekend as they host non-conference opponent St. Norbert for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 15. The Senior Day games will take place at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. from Bollinger Field.
Follow the action all season long on Blugold Game Day.