OSHKOSH, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The 25th-ranked UW-Eau Claire softball team picked up two WIAC wins facing UW-Oshkosh at YP.com Softball Park today.
The Blugolds won game one 2-0 while coming from behind for a 4-3 win in game two. Eau Claire improves to 23-7 on the season and 6-2 in conference play while Oshkosh drops to 18-10 overall and 3-5 in the WIAC. The last time the Blugolds posted a shutout against the Titans was 2008.
In the first game, the teams fought back and forth through the first four innings but the Blugolds got on the board in the top of the fifth with Haley Williams (Fr.-Waunakee, Wis.) scoring on a Brittany Bergquist (So.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) single.
Jess Freagon (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) gave the Blugolds another run in the seventh inning after hitting a home run to right field, her sixth of the season.
Emma Wishau (Fr.-Waterford, Wis./Union) allowed just three hits and struck out five batters, pitching a complete game. She improves to 5-0 on the season.
In game two, the teams were again even through four innings but Oshkosh scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead.
The Blugolds answered with two runs in the top of the sixth while scoring two more in the top of the seventh. Oshkosh scored one run in the final inning to make the score 4-3 but the Blugolds held strong and got the final out, leaving two Oshkosh runners on bases.
Both of the Blugolds' runs in the sixth came after a Sara Baumgartner (Sr.-Arcadia, Wis.) single to center field with Jenny Hess (So.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) and Aleisha Harper (Jr.-Mondovi, Wis./Eau Claire North) scoring the runs.
In the seventh, Bergquist gave the Blugolds their first lead of the game with a homer to left field. Ashley Kenworthy (So.-Tomah, Wis.) scored later in the inning to give Eau Claire a 4-2 lead after an Emily Muller (Jr.-Lancaster, Wis.) ground out.
Using three different pitchers, Lauren Carlson (Fr.-Eagan, Minn.) started and struck out three batters but gave up two runs. Ashley Meinen (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) earned the win, to improve to 7-5 on the season, after pitching 2.1 innings. Emily Ruegemer (Fr.-St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) closed the game, pitching to the final two batters and earned a save, her third of the season.
The Blugolds will be back in action Monday with a doubleheader against UW-La Crosse at Gelein Field beginning at 3 p.m. They will also be home Tuesday with a doubleheader against UW-River Falls.
