MENOMONIE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – It was a record day on Friday for Rachel Heffel (Sr.-Racine, WI/Case) as the senior tallied five stolen bases to break the school record for steals in a season to lead the Blugolds in a sweep over UW-Stout.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Heffel's five stolen bases put her season total at 35, breaking Tammy Brandt's record of 34, set in 1995.
In game one, Carlie Christensen (Jr.-Ellsworth, WI/River Falls) got things rolling with a single to left field in the top of the fourth. After a sacrifice bunt to move Kelsey Meredith (Sr.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) - pinch running for Christensen - to second, Emma Lehman (So.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) singled to score Meredith. Heffel would later hit an RBI double to give Eau Claire the 2-0 lead.
The Blugolds tacked on three more runs in the seventh, highlighted by a Tayler Mort (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) double.
Heffel and Leah Wolff (Sr.-Middleton, WI) each recorded two hits to lead the Blugolds at the plate while senior hurler Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) shut down the Blue Devils, going the distance to earn the shutout win while striking out five and scattering seven hits. The win marks Blasczyk's 40th of her career, tying Emma Wishau (2011-2014) for fourth all-time in Blugold history.
The Blugolds struck early in game two, scoring once in the second inning thanks to an Evie Schaller (Sr.–Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) homerun before notching three runs in both the third and fourth, highlighted by Schaller's second round-tripper of the day in the fourth inning. Eau Claire would add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh but surrendered a run in the bottom half, taking home a 9-1 win.
Schaller, Mort, Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West) and Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) each recorded two hits in game two with Schaller earning three RBIs to lead the Blugolds.
Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) earned the win in the circle, striking out eight while only issuing one free pass to improve to 10-1 on the season.
The Blugolds (25-9, 6-6 WIAC) will return to Bollinger Saturday to host UW-Platteville for Alumni Day. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
