EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – After postponing their weekend games due to the rainy weather, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team was finally able to host UW-Oshkosh on Monday afternoon, earning a sweep over the Titans, 5-1 and 4-0.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Eau Claire jumped to an early 2-0 lead, scoring two runs on two hits in the bottom of the first.
Kenna Strunsee (Fr. – Waukesha, WI/South) hit a one-out double to right center and would later score on Sadie Erickson's (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central) double. Ellie Decker (Sr. – Germantown, WI) followed with a sacrifice fly to left to plate Erickson for the second Blugold run.
Oshkosh got on the board in the third with a bases loaded walk, but Eau Claire would get the run back in the bottom half of the inning.
Strunsee and Erickson drew back-to-back walks, and Decker would come through again, this time with a single to left to score Strunsee.
In the fourth, Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) belted her sixth homer of the season to extend the lead and in the fifth, Decker would drive in her third run of the game with a single up the middle to score Erickson who had reached on a single of her own.
For the game, Decker and Erickson each finished 2-for-2 while Decker tallied a game-high three RBIs.
Madi Zerr (Jr. – Bristol, WI/Wilmot Union) earned the win in the circle to improve to 6-0 while Jacie Schultz (Fr. – Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) picked up her third save. The duo combined for two strikeouts and scattered three Titan hits.
In game two, the Blugolds earned their sixth shutout of the season with a 4-0 victory, scoring three runs in the first and one in the sixth.
In the Blugold first, Maruna and Strunsee set the table to with back-to-back singles and after a fielder's choice, Decker blasted a homerun to center for a 3-0 lead.
The final run would come in the sixth. Zerr singled to center and Alexis Oelfke (So. – Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) would come in to pinch run for Zerr. After a bunt moved her to second, Haley Lamberson (Jr. – Silver Lake, WI/Wilmot Union) singled to center to move Oelfke to third. Alli Schoenrock's (Fr. – Blaine, MN) sacrifice fly to left field would be deep enough to score Oelfke to extend the lead to 4-0.
Schultz and Zerr would again hold the Titans in check, putting Oshkosh down in order for the first three innings and they would muster just four hits off the duo in game two, giving Schultz her 10th win of the season and Zerr earning her first save.
Decker had another impressive showing at the plate, going 2-for-3 and knocked in three of the Blugolds' four runs.
The Blugolds (23-7, 9-3 WIAC) will wrap up regular season play on Tuesday with another rescheduled home doubleheader, this time with UW-Whitewater (17-17, 5-7 WIAC). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Bollinger Field.
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