By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) portion of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team's 2017 season officially began on Wednesday evening, and the Blugolds started conference play with two key wins. The two-time defending WIAC regular season champions defeated UW-River Falls in both games of their doubleheader, by scores of 7-4 and 4-3.
The No. 9-ranked Blugolds used a five-run second inning to top the Falcons in the conference opener. The difference on the scoreboard ended up being a big three-run home run from Kelsey Meredith (Sr.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) that inning, as the senior outfielder hit a laser that just missed the fresh new scoreboard at Bollinger Field for her second round-tripper on the year.
Meredith added a double in the fourth for her second hit of the game, joining Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West) and Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) with similar marks of 2-for-3 in game one. Additionally, Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) went 1-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs.
It took 110 pitches from Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) to put away the Falcons. The senior threw all seven innings to earn her eighth victory on the season. She allowed just one earned run, lowering her ERA to an impressive 1.19 mark.
The Blugolds had to claw their way back from a 3-0 deficit in game two. River Falls put up a three-spot in the third inning, and held the Eau Claire offense scoreless for four innings. Then, in the fifth, the Blugolds used three hits and two walks to tie the game.
When Eau Claire came to bat in the sixth, Coach Huntington got yet another crucial homer from one of her players. This time, Tayler Mort (So.-Zumbrota, MN/Zumbrota-Mazeppa) crushed it over the fence in center field to ultimately give the Blugolds the lead for good.
Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) finished her job, getting the remaining three outs of the game in the seventh and picked up the complete game win. She struck out four en route to improving to 6-0 on the season. To add further drama to the comeback victory, third baseman Emma Lehman (So.-Brooklyn Park/Champlin Park) sealed the win with a diving catch on the foul line to end it.
The Blugolds will hit the road this weekend with stops at UW-Whitewater on Saturday and UW-Oshkosh on Sunday.
Follow the action all season long on Blugold Game Day.
