LA CROSSE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The third-seeded University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team took on top-seeded UW-La Crosse on the second day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament (presented by Culver's) on Saturday morning, defeating the Eagles 9-3 to advance to the WIAC championship game.
Box Score | WIAC Championship Website
The Eagles jumped to an early lead, scoring twice in the first inning with an RBI triple and single, and would add another run in the second thanks to a homerun.
Eau Claire threatened in the second, with Ellie Decker (Sr. – Germantown, WI) and Maria Back (Sr. – Rosemount, MN) starting the inning with back-to-back singles. But after a fielder's choice for the first out, Haley Lamberson's (Jr. – Silver Lake, WI/Wilmot Union) line drive was snagged by the third baseman and ended the inning by doubling up Back.
The Blugold defense held the Eagles scoreless in the third, and in the bottom half of the inning would tie the game. Shaelyn Talley (Jr. – Wausau, WI/West) hit a one-out single to left and then stole second to get herself into scoring position. Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) followed with a single up the middle to score Talley. Kenna Strunsee (Fr. – Waukesha, WI/South) then stepped up to the plate and belted her second homer of the season to tie the game at three apiece. After a flyout for out number two, Decker singled through the left side for her second hit of the game. Back drew a walk to get on base once again but a strikeout would end the rally and leave the score tied at 3.
Eau Claire again held the Eagles in the fourth and got back to work on offense in their half of the inning.
Lamberson doubled to right center to lead off the inning and Megan Patterson (Fr. – Johnsburg, IL) reached on an error by the pitcher. Talley then doubled to left center to plate Lamberson and give Eau Claire a 4-3 advantage and force La Crosse to make a pitching change. Maruna welcomed the new pitcher with a homerun to left, clearing the bases and increasing the lead to 7-3.
The Blugolds would add a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Maruna got things started with a triple to center, her fourth of the season. Strunsee knocked her in with a single through the left side, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sadie Erickson (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central) doubled to left to score Strunsee and put Eau Claire up 9-3. After a double to start the Eagle seventh, the Blugolds would get a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to punch their ticket to the WIAC title game.
Maruna led all hitters with a game-high three hits – which included a triple and homerun – and four RBIs while also scoring three runs herself. Strunsee, Decker and Talley also tallied two hits each for the Blugolds.
Jacie Schultz (Fr. – Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) earned the win in the circle to improve to 11-2 on the season. The newcomer struck out two and scattered five hits and didn't allow a run in four innings of work.
The Blugolds (25-9) will now wait for their opponent for Sunday. Oshkosh and Whitewater will battle for the chance to face La Crosse at approximately 3 p.m. on Saturday with the winner advancing to the championship game against Eau Claire at 10 a.m. on Sunday. As a double elimination tournament, a Blugold win will secure the WIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and a loss will force a winner-take-all game at noon.
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