EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team was back at home on Saturday afternoon as they continued their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) schedule with UW-Platteville in town. After falling in game one 8-5, Madi Zerr (Sr. – Bristol, Wis./Wilmot Union) pitched a complete game shutout in game two and Eau Claire earned a 6-0 victory in game two.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
With clouds and rain looming over the heads of Bollinger Fields, neither team let the unconventional weather stop them from finding runs early. A solo home run by the Pioneers in the top of the first found UW-Eau Claire with an early 1-0 deficit. Megan Maruna (Sr. – Oswego, Ill.) answered in the bottom of the first with a home run of her own with Kenna Strunsee (So. – Waukesha, Wis./South) and Haley Lamberson (Sr. – Silver Lake, Wis./Wilmot Union) on base to earn Eau Claire's first lead of the game.
The 3-1 lead held for the following two innings before the Pioneers tied the game in the top of the fourth on a solo home run and an RBI single. After a scoreless fifth inning, the Pioneers took back their initial lead in the sixth with five runs giving UWEC an 8-3 deficit.
Megan Maruna kept her bat hot in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single to right field to cut the UWP lead to 8-4. Haley Lamberson added to the come back attempt by the Blugolds in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single to cut the lead to 8-5. The Pioneers retired the final batter of game one the following at bat to hand Eau Claire their 16th defeat of the season.
UW-Eau Claire turned the tides in game two as Madi Zerr (Sr. – Bristol, Wis./Wilmot Union) and the defense shutout the Pioneers and kept them to just four hits.
Maruna got the Blugolds on the board in the bottom of the second on an overthrow by the shortstop as she crossed home and Megan Patterson (So. – Johnsburg, Ill.) reached third. During the following at bat, a passed ball allowed Patterson to cross home plate as UWEC took a 2-0 lead.
After three scoreless innings, UW-Eau Claire added to their lead in the sixth as Megan Maruna hit her second home run of the day, bringing Shaelyn Talley (Sr. – Wausau, Wis./West) across home plate to extend the lead to 4-0. Hailey Hagedorn (Fr. – Farmington, Minn.) also homered in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 6-0 victory for the Blugolds.
Madi Zerr finished her complete game with no runs, four hits, and one strikeout on 28 batters faced.
The Blugolds (14-16, WIAC 3-7) will be back at home on Wednesday, May 3rd when they host UW-River Falls at Bollinger Fields. First pitch between the Blugolds and Falcons is scheduled for 4PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
