WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team continued play at the Spring Games on Monday with two morning non-conference games against Kalamazoo College and Hamilton College. The Blugolds combined for 14 runs in the two games and only surrendered one as they improved to 7-5 on the year.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
The first game of the day against the Kalamazoo Hornets featured a hitting fest for UW-Eau Claire as the team combined for 15 hits in their 9-0 victory. Chloe Garofalo (So. – Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) led the offense from the lead off spot with three hits, two runs, and two RBI's in her four at bats. Garofalo found Eau Claire's first lead in the top of the first after Madi Zerr (Sr. – Bristol, Wis./Wilmot Union) hit a single up the middle to score Garofalo and Paige Lathrop (Fr. – South Milwaukee, Wis.). Zerr had a terrific day at the plate and from the stripe as she gathered three hits and two RBI's while pitching five scoreless innings and striking out three.
In the second, Garofalo added to the Blugold lead with a hard ground ball through the left side to score Ali Schoenrock (So. – Blaine, Minn.) from third. Later in the game, Megan Maruna (Sr. – Oswego, Ill.) hit her third homerun in three games and fifth of the season to increase the UWEC lead to 4-0.
The top of the sixth sealed the deal for Eau Claire as Kaitlyn Madole (Jr. – Owatonna, Minn.), Chloe Garofalo, Paige Lathrop, and Maruna all recorded one RBI each to reach a 9-0 lead. Jocelyn Hancock (Jr. – Verona, Wis.) entered the game in the bottom of the sixth and retired three of the four batters she faced to seal the shutout win. Madi Zerr earned the victory and improved to 2-2 on the year.
Game two found the Blugolds behind early as the Hamilton Continentals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. The Blugolds found only one hit in the first three innings but shifted the tides of the game in the fourth with stellar play at the plate and on the bases.
Paige Lathrop scored the tying run on a squeeze bunt from Kenna Strunsee (So. – Waukesha, Wis./South) to begin a rally of runs. After laying down the bunt, Strunsee stole second and set up Haley Lamberson (Sr. – Silver Lake, Wis./Wilmot Union) for another squeeze bunt situation. Lamberson laid a clinical bunt right in front of the pitcher to advance Strunsee across home plate.
With runners at the corners, UWEC once again played for the bunt as Kaitlyn Madole put down a bunt to the third baseman. The Hamilton defender threw the ball awry allowing Madole to sit safe at first and bring Megan Maruna across the plate, making it 3-1. On the next pitch, Madole and Lamberson pulled off a double steal from the corners to increase the lead to 4-1 as Lamberson crossed home plate safely. Madole continued to make an impact in the sixth as she popped up right on the edge of the outfield, allowing Strunsee to score from third and seal the 5-1 victory.
Lauren Gamme (Jr. – Eagan, Minn.) pitched all seven innings against Hamilton. The junior retired 23 of the 31 batters she faced to earn her third win of the season. Gamme is now 3-1 on the year.
The Blugolds (7-5, 0-0 WIAC) will jump right back into non-conference play on Wednesday, March 21st with games against Carleton College and Grinnell College down at The Spring Games. Game one against the Carleton Knights is scheduled for 8:00AM(CST), with game two scheduled at 10:30AM(CST).
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
