TUCSON, Ariz. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire softball team split its games on the fourth day of the Tucson Invitational Games, defeating St. Catherine's University 12-0 in five innings but falling to St. Olaf 3-1 this afternoon.
The Blugolds played the Wildcats and the Oles last Sunday, and devastated both teams by scoring 28 total runs. Today, Eau Claire initially followed the trend and again blanked St. Catherine. The Blugolds captured a 3-0 lead by the end of the third inning as Aleisha Harper (Jr.-Mondovi, Wis./Eau Claire North) posted one run in the first inning and Jess Freagon (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) struck a two RBI single in the third.
However, Eau Claire's nine total runs in the fourth and fifth innings secured the big win. Sara Baumgartner (Sr.-Arcadia, Wis.) highlighted the fourth inning, as she ripped a triple to score Emily Muller (Jr.-Lancaster, Wis.) and Jenny Hess (So.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln). Baumgartner also singled to center field in the fifth inning and drove home two additional runs. Hess, Fregon and Emily Haluska (So.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) also nailed RBI singles to propel the Blugolds to the 12-0 victory.
Emily Ruegemer (Fr.-St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) earned the win – her first of the season – against the Wildcats. Ruegemer pitched all five innings, struck out three players and allowed just four hits. Baumgartner and Freagon each went three-for-four at the plate and recorded four RBIs.
While the Blugolds had great success last Sunday, the dominating pattern came to a halt against St. Olaf. Baumgartner drilled a homerun to right center to get the game underway, but it was Eau Claire's only score of the game. The Blugolds came close a few times – Nikki Bromelkamp (Jr.-Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) tripled in the second and Eau Claire loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh – but couldn't tack any additional runs on the board. The Oles scored twice in the third and once in the fifth to take the game.
Lauren Carlson (Fr.-Eagan, Minn.) recorded the loss in the outing. Carlson pitched 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and two runs. Carlson also pitched against St. Olaf in the teams' last meeting and is 3-1 for the season.
The Blugolds – who are now 9-3 on the year – will wrap up the Tucson Invitational Games with a doubleheader against Carleton College (Minn.) tomorrow. The first game is scheduled for noon (Central).
