EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team hosted UW-Platteville for the WIAC Championship Quarterfinal (presented by Culver's) on Tuesday, falling to the Pioneers 6-5 in 11 innings.
Game 1 Box Score | WIAC Championship Website
The Pioneers jumped to an early lead thanks to a two-run homerun in the first inning, but it would only last until the Blugold third where Eau Claire would tally three runs off one hit. Taking advantage of two walks and an error, Maria Back's (Jr. – Rosemount, MN) double down the left field line cleared the bases to give Eau Claire a 3-2 lead.
Platteville would plate two runs in the fifth to take back the lead, but Eau Claire would rally in seventh to tie the game at four and force extra innings. Sadie Erickson (Fr. – St. Paul, MN/North) plated the fourth Blugold run with a single to center.
The two teams would continue to battle but neither could muster a run in extra innings until the 11th. Platteville would score twice in the top half to take a 6-4 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, Bailee Sillman's (Sr. – Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi) leadoff double to left field got things rolling and Abbey Place (Sr. – Naperville, IL/Central) followed with a single to right. Sillman would later score on a fielder's choice but a groundout would end it with the Blugolds coming up short, 6-5.
Back led Eau Claire with two doubles and three RBIs while Sillman and Place also tallied two hits apiece.
Morgan Sivak (Sr. – Oconomowoc, WI) took the loss on the mount, giving up four runs in nine innings while striking out two.
Eau Claire (22-16, 8-6 WIAC) will now wait for the NCAA Championship selection show on Monday, May 17th at 12 p.m. to see if the Blugolds will receive an at-large bid into the tournament.
