EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – In their opening game of the 2022 WIAC Softball Tournament (presented by Culver's), the No. 3 seed University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team notched a 9-0 (5 innings) victory over second-seeded UW-Oshkosh.
Box Score | WIAC Championship Website
The Blugolds collected 11 hits in the run-rule victory, while Madi Zerr (Jr. – Bristol, WI/Wilmot Union) and Jacie Schultz (Fr. – Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) combined to allow just five Titan hits.
After Eau Claire went down in order in the top of the first, Oshkosh came out swinging, recording back-to-back hits in the bottom of the inning. But Zerr would settle in, getting two flyouts and a strikeout, ending the Titan threat.
In the second, Maria Back (Sr. – Rosemount, MN) got Eau Claire on the board with a solo shot to right field. The 1-0 lead would hold until the fourth when Eau Claire tallied two more runs on two hits.
Ellie Decker (Sr. – Germantown, WI) led off with a single to center and would move into scoring position on a passed ball. A walk would put another Blugold on base and the runners would move to second and third on a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher. Haley Lamberson's (Jr. – Silver Lake, WI/Wilmot Union) sac fly to left field would plate a run and the other would come in on Megan Patterson's (Fr. – Johnsburg, IL) single to left.
After holding the Titans scoreless in the bottom of the inning, Eau Claire picked up where they left off in the fifth. Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) singled through the left side to start the inning and would move over to second on Kenna Strunsee's (Fr. – Waukesha, WI/South) sac bunt. A single through the right side by Sadie Erickson (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central) would score Maruna and Decker followed with her second hit in as many innings. Following a Titan error, the Blugolds would have the bases loaded. After a lineout to center, Oshkosh brought in a new pitcher only to give up a two-RBI single to Lamberson. Patterson kept the hit parade going with a single through the left side and a walk would push across another run. Maruna came to the plate for her second time in the inning, collecting her second hit of the frame with a single to left to bring in two more runs to give Eau Claire a 9-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Schultz would come in relief of Zerr and after giving up two hits to start the inning, would get the final outs to secure the win.
Maruna, Decker, Lamberson and Patterson each recorded two hits in the win, with Lamberson and Maruna driving in three and two runs, respectively.
The Blugolds (24-9) will now face top-seeded La Crosse (26-8) at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The Eagles defeated Whitewater in their first round game by a score of 4-0.
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