PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team dropped a pair of WIAC games to UW-Platteville on Sunday, falling in the bottom of the seventh in both games by a score of 5-4.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
The Blugolds started strong in game one, with Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) hitting her fourth triple of the season. She would score on Haley Lamberson's (Jr. – Silver Lake, WI/Wilmot Union) groundout to second. Sadie Erickson (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central) then singled and she would come around to score on Maria Back's (Sr. – Rosemount, MN) double to right field.
Erickson hit her fifth homerun of the season in the third and in the fourth, Madi Zerr (Jr. – Bristol, WI/Wilmot Union) doubled to left to plate Kenna Strunsee (Fr. – Waukesha, WI/South) who had reached base with a single to the shortstop.
But the Pioneers would rally for four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at four apiece.
The game was still tied heading into the seventh and in the bottom half, Platteville doubled and would plate the winning run on a triple.
Erickson led Eau Claire at the plate in game one, tallying two of the team's seven hits.
In game two, the Blugolds were the first to get on the board once again. Maruna singled to left to start the game, and after a Strunsee single, Erickson would plate Maruna with a base hit to left.
Eau Claire would record another run in the fourth. Shaelyn Talley (Jr. – Wausau, WI/West) hit a two-out triple and would score on Maruna's single.
In the sixth, Talley would come up with another two-out triple, this time knocking in Jayden Hodgson (So. – Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) who was pinch running for Grace Stec (So. – (Chester, IL) who had singled to left.
But in the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers would capitalize on two Blugolds errors and would score three runs on two hits to tie the game at 3.
In the top of the seventh, Strunsee and Erickson singled to start the inning. Strunsee would then score on a sacrifice fly by Back for the go-ahead run.
But in the bottom half, the Blugolds would walk the bases loaded. The tying run came across on a fielder's choice and the winning run would come in thanks to a hit batter, dropping the Blugolds to 1-3 in WIAC play.
Eau Claire out-hit Platteville 11-6 but committed four costly errors in game two.
Five Blugolds would collect two hits apiece and were led by Talley who recorded two triples.
The Blugolds (15-7, 1-3 WIAC) will continue conference play on Wednesday as they travel to River Falls to take on the Falcons (13-8, 2-2 WIAC).
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