CLERMONT, Florida (Blugolds.com) – Wednesday saw more action for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team, with the Blugolds falling to Grinnell College in game one and Eau Claire picking up their tenth win of the season in a late rally over Carleton College in game two.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
In the first game of the day, the Blugolds fell to Grinnell by a score of 7-4. The Pioneers jumped to an early lead, scoring four runs in the top of the first and would never trail, despite Eau Claire out-hitting Grinnell 8-7 in the contest.
Chloe Garofalo (Fr. – Kenosha, WI/Bradford) recorded three of the Blugolds' hits, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Megan Maruna (Jr. – Oswego, IL) also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple.
In the second game against Carleton, it was the Blugolds who would strike first with a two-run first inning, thanks to solo homeruns by Maruna and Sadie Erickson (Jr. – Norwood Young America, MN/Central).
Eau Claire added another run in the fourth on a sacrifice bunt. But the tide turned in the fifth, when the Knights scored four runs off two hits and three Blugold errors to take a 4-3 lead.
The Blugolds tied the game in the sixth with a Claire Beck (Fr. – Jefferson, WI) single and would send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Eau Claire exploded for nine runs, highlighted by a Maria Back (Sr. – Rosemount, MN) double and an Ellie Decker (Sr. – Germantown, WI) three-run homerun. Carleton countered with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, but it would not be enough as Eau Claire would claim the 13-7 win.
The Blugolds out-hit the Knights 14-4, with four Blugolds collecting multiple hits, led by Shaelyn Talley's (Jr. – Wausau, WI/West) 3-for-4 performance which included a triple in the sixth.
Jacie Schultz (Fr. – Lake Crystal, MN/Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) earned the victory in the circle to improve to 4-1 after striking out four in 3.2 innings. The freshmen gave up just one hit and one earned run.
Eau Claire (10-4) will wrap up their spring trip with two more games on Friday, the first against Allegheny (PA) and the second against Augustana (Ill.)
Follow the Blugolds all season long on Blugold Game Day or on the UWEC Blugolds app.
