LA CROSSE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire baseball team wrapped up Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play with a pair of defeats at 16th-ranked UW-La Crosse on Saturday. The Blugolds fell in the first game of a doubleheader 13-1 and dropped the second game 3-2.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
A nine-run first inning put UW-La Crosse in strong position in the first game of the day. The Eagles hit a three-run double and a two-run home run as part of the early outburst. They added another run in the second and two more in the third to go ahead 12-0.
The Blugolds got on the board thanks to a sacrifice fly from Andrew Murphy (Jr. – Mahtomedi, Minn.) in the top of the fourth. It was the only damage UW-Eau Claire could cause against the Eagles' pitching in the early game.
UW-Eau Claire had better fortunes in the second game, thanks in large part to the pitching of Ty Schafer (Fr. – Hoffman Estates, Ill./Saint Viator). The southpaw threw eight innings and limited the No. 16 team in the country to three runs while striking out three.
UW-La Crosse took the lead on a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, but the Blugolds bounced back to take a lead after Murphy hit an RBI double in the third and David Janssen (Jr. – Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth. It put UW-Eau Claire ahead 2-1. However, the Eagles answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good. The Blugolds got the tying run on base in the seventh, but that was as close as they would get.
Matt Melendez (So. – River Grove, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep) and Connor Weik (Fr. – Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein) led the Blugolds with two hits each in game two.
UW-Eau Claire will wrap up its 2023 season with a doubleheader against Carleton College on Monday, May 8, at Carson Park. The Blugolds will celebrate Senior Day, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
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