MANKATO, Minn. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team kicked off their 2023 season on Saturday with a pair of games at the Mankato State dome against nonconference opponents from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Blugolds got off to a hot start with a 3-0 shutout over the No. 9 ranked Bethel Royals in game one and a 6-4 last inning rally over Gustavus Adolphus College.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
With the tall task of facing a ranked team in their season opener, UW-Eau Claire rose to the occasion with a stellar pitching performance from Madi Zerr (Sr. – Bristol, Wis./Wilmot Union) and lockdown defense in all 7 innings. Zerr started the game retiring six of the seven batters she faced in the first two innings. The Blugold offense got to work early in the second as Megan Patterson (So. – Johnsburg, Ill.) hit a double into the outfield to score Kenna Strunsee (So. – Waukesha, Wis./South) and Haley Lamberson (Sr. – Silver Lake, Wis./Wilmot Union) from second and third, giving UWEC a 2-0 lead.
Zerr kept the Royals astray the following two innings, allowing only one hit. The Blugolds ended the fourth inning with a 6-4-3 double play to keep the Royals scoreless through 14 batters. In the top of the fifth, Eau Claire added to their lead with a single from Shaelyn Talley (Sr. – Wausau, Wis./West) and a double from Chloe Garofalo (So. – Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) to get runners in scoring position. Megan Maruna (Sr. – Oswego, Ill.) bunted for a single during the next at bat to score Garofalo from third and increase the Blugold lead to 3-0. From there, Madi Zerr shutdown the next nine Bethel batters to seal the 3-0 win. Zerr finished the game allowing only two hits, collecting three strikeouts, and walking no Royal batters.
The upset victory in game one instilled momentum into Eau Claire as they began game two against Gustavus with some firepower. During the first at bat of the contest, Megan Maruna blasted a home run into left field for the early 1-0 lead. Six batters later, Alli Schoenrock (So. – Blaine, Minn.) plated two runs on a double to left field giving UWEC a 3-0 lead before the first half inning.
The Gusties would answer with a lone run in the bottom of the first to cut the Blugold lead to 3-1.
In her first collegiate start, Hailey Hagedorn (Fr. – Farmington, Minn.) kept Gustavus to just one hit and one run in her first five innings pitched. Hagedorn complimented her first start with some offense as she began the sixth inning with a ground-rule double. After stealing third, Hagedorn was brought across home plate three batters later on a RBI single from Chloe Garofalo to bring the Eau Claire lead back to three runs.
Gustavus refused to go down without a fight as the Gusties rattled off four hits and three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 4-4. Lauren Gamme (Jr. – Eagan, Minn.) got the Blugolds out of the inning with her first strikeout of the day on her second batter faced.
As both teams entered the seventh knotted at 4-4, UW-Eau Claire dug into their playbook and found success for the game winning run. After Paige Lathrop (Fr. – South Milwaukee, Wis.) started the inning with a walk, Kenna Strunsee advanced Lathrop into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Madi Zerr then took over and hit the game winning single up the middle as Lathrop crossed home plate. Three batters later, Hailey Hagedorn doubled to the outfield to score Haley Lamberson who pinch ran for Zerr to give UW-Eau Claire the 6-4 lead heading into the final half inning. Lauren Gamme struck out the first Gustie batter before Gustavus found a runner on second on a fielding error. The Blugolds walked the next batter and locked down their defense to force a 5-3 double play to end the inning and earn the 6-4 victory.
The Blugolds (2-0, WIAC 0-0) will continue play in western Minnesota tomorrow, February 26th with two more nonconference games. Game one against Hamline University is scheduled for 10:30AM.
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