LEESBURG, Florida (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team picked up two wins on Saturday, defeating Knox College 10-8 and Southern Maine 4-2.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Game one against Knox was a slugfest, with the two teams combining for 20 hits - 13 coming from the Blugolds – and at least one run was scored in each inning.
Eau Claire started things off with a run in the top of the first. Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) led off with a single and then stole second. After advancing to third on a groundout, Maruna would score on Kenna Strunsee's (Fr. – Waukesha, WI/South) fielder's choice. But Knox College would respond with four runs in the bottom half to take the lead.
The Blugolds scored again in the second with a Kaitlyn Madole (So – Owatonna, MN) double. In the third, Eau Claire would take the lead, scoring three runs on three hits and taking advantage of a Prairie Fire error.
The lead was short-lived, as Knox came back with three runs of their own in the fourth and one more in the fifth to take an 8-5 lead.
In the sixth, Maruna started a two-out rally with a double, then scored thanks to a Haley Lamberson (Jr. – Silver Lake, WI/Wilmot Union) single. Lamberson would be knocked in on Strunsee's triple to cut into the lead.
The Blugold defense put down the Prairie Fire in order in the sixth and down 8-7 heading into the seventh, rallied for three runs to take the lead off of two hits and another Knox error, taking a 10-8 advantage. In the bottom half of the frame, Eau Claire would again put Know down in order, with Lauren Gamme (So. – Eagan, MN) striking out the final batter to seal the win for the Blugolds and picking up the save.
Maruna, Lamberson, Strunsee and Maria Back (Sr. – Rosemount, MN) would all tally two hits in the win.
Eau Claire had another close one in game two, defeating the Southern Maine Huskies 4-2.
Maruna continued her hot streak, hitting a triple to left in the bottom of the first and came around to score on a groundout.
The Huskies got on the board in the top of the second, but Eau Claire would come back with another run in the bottom half. Back led off the inning with a double to right center and after a bunt to move her to third, Back would cross the plate on a groundout to second base.
Southern Maine tied things up in the third, but the Blugolds would tally two more runs thanks to a Sadie Erickson (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central) two-run single in the fifth, putting Eau Claire up 4-2 and the Blugolds would never look back.
Maruna again would tally two hits in the win, going 2-for-3 as would Erickson.
Jacie Schultz (Fr. – Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) earned the win in the circle, striking out four and scattering four hits in five innings while Gamme earned her second save of the day, striking out three and surrendering just one hit in two innings.
Eau Claire (6-2) will have an off day on Sunday and return to action Monday with games against Williams College (Mass.) and St. Catherine (Minn.).
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