By Tommy McGowan, UWEC Sports Information
DECORAH, Iowa (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team split their doubleheader with Luther College (Iowa) on Thursday afternoon, 8-3 and 8-6.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
The Blugolds fell behind 7-0 in game one before a double from Sadie Erickson (So.-Norwood Young America, MN/Central) scored Shaelyn Talley (Wausau, WI/West) in the fifth inning. Erickson would score on the next at-bat, as Bailee Sillman (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) singled to left field.
A single from Katelyn Yute (Sr.-North Prairie, WI/Kettle Moraine) opened the offense in the sixth. Yute advanced to third off a double from Megan Maruna (So.-Oswego, IL) and then scored off a Luther error, making it 7-2.
Eau Claire got a pair of hits in the final inning from Abbey Place (Sr.-Naperville, IL/Central) and Maria Back (Jr.-Rosemount, MN) but were unable to add any runs.
In game two it was the Blugolds who struck first, scoring four runs in the third. Erickson kicked off the hitting in the inning with a single and she later scored off a Back double. The Blugolds had five hits in the half-inning.
Eau Claire would add two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings. A two-run homer from Place kicked things off in the fourth, while an RBI single from Mikayla McEnery (Sr.-Savage, MN/Prior Lake) opened things up in the fifth.
The offense finished with 13 hits in the second game, with Erickson and Maruna leading the team with three each. On the mound, Madi Zerr (So.-Bristol, WI/Wilmot Union) pitched the entire seven winnings and earned the win, moving her to 4-4 on the season.
The split moves UWEC to 11-7 on the 2021 season. They will get a short rest before their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener against UW-Stout on Thursday, April 8. The doubleheader will have first pitch times at 3 and 5 PM. Follow the action on Blugold Game Day.
