WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team wrapped up their spring break trip on Thursday with a doubleheader against Hope College. The Blugolds came out firing in game one and earned a 3-0 shutout, but fell in their last game of the day, 8-3.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
The opening game of the doubleheader between the Blugolds and Flying Dutch began with stellar defense on both sides as both sides went scoreless through three innings of play. Kenna Strunsee (So. – Waukesha, Wis./South) got UW-Eau Claire on the board first with a bunt down the third base line that ended in an errant throw by the Hope third baseman, allowing Shaelyn Talley (Sr. – Wausau, Wis./West) to cross home plate for the game's first run.
The Blugolds' pitching crew held the Flying Dutch in check as Madi Zerr (Sr. – Bristol, Wis./Wilmot Union), Jacie Schultz (So. – Kenosha, Wis./Bradford), and Lauren Gamme (Jr. – Eagan, Minn.) combined for seven innings, six strikeouts, and only six hits against. Schultz received her second win of the season and Gamme earned her second save in the shutout.
Paige Lathrop (Fr. – South Milwaukee, Wis.) batted in the final two runs of game one on a single to the outfield that scored Chloe Garofalo (So. – Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) and Lauren Gamme from second and third.
The second game of the doubleheader started in favor of the Flying Dutch after a three run homerun gave UWEC their first deficit of the afternoon. Eau Claire answered back in the bottom of the first as Madi Zerr ripped an RBI single into the outfield to score Chloe Garofalo and advance Megan Maruna (Sr. – Oswego, Ill.) to third base. The following at bat found Kenna Strunsee taking advantage of a Hope error as she reached first and advanced Maruna across home plate to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Hope College added to their lead in the second and third innings with three combined runs, making it 6-2. Another two runs from the Flying Dutch came in the top of the fifth as Eau Claire was kept quiet until the fifth. Megan Maruna reached first on an error by the pitcher that allowed Garofalo to score and cut the Hope lead to 8-3. Garofalo led the Blugolds during the doubleheader with three hits, four runs, and four stolen bases.
A late push by the Blugolds was shut down by the Hope defense as UW-Eau Claire fell 8-3 in their final game of The Spring Games.
The Blugolds (9-7, 0-0 WIAC) will return home to the Midwest and prepare for a trip to Iowa on April 1st for doubleheaders against Central College and Luther College.
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