By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - After the past weekend's four-game skid, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team received news that the doubleheader against St. Norbert slated for Saturday would be moved to Thursday evening with potential inclement weather ahead. The No. 17-ranked Blugolds earned a pair of walk-off victories of their own after falling victim to three losses of the variety last weekend.
With three innings in the books, UW-Eau Claire trailed 4-0 in game one. The Blugolds answered with a five-spot in the fourth inning, highlighted by an inside-the-park grand slam from Rachel Heffel (Sr.-Racine, WI/Case).
However, an unearned run in the seventh allowed the Green Knights to even the score and send this one into extras. It was then in the eighth that the Blugolds would break the tie and pick up the win. Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) started off the inning with a single, Emma Lehman (So.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) bunted her over, and Darby Raffel (Jr.-Middleton, WI) drove in the winning run with a single up the middle.
Heffel, Noetzelman, Lehman, and Raffel each had multiple hits in the win. Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) moved to 8-0 while earning the win in relief. She took over in the fourth and recorded five innings of work.
Game two was tight as well, but the result was no different, as the Blugolds were walk-off winners once again. Neither Eau Claire nor St. Norbert were able to cross home plate through six-and-a-half innings. In the bottom of the seventh, though, the Blugolds got a game-winning double from Noetzelman that drove in Carlie Christensen (Jr.-Ellsworth, WI/River Falls). Proving that walks will haunt, Christensen's free pass to lead off the frame ultimately resulted in the winning run.
Cheyenne Johnson (Fr.-Poplar, WI/Northwestern) pitched an impressive game, going the distance for her first time and striking out six. She allowed only five hits and two walks on way to improving her record to 2-1 on the season.
The 19-7 Blugolds are scheduled to host UW-La Crosse on Tuesday at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. in their next go of conference play.
Follow the action all season long on Blugold Game Day.
