Over the weekend, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team kicked off their season with opening games in Mankato, Minnesota. They played in the dome against St. Mary’s University and Gustavus Adolphous College, both of which were teams that the Eagles lost to.
Against the St. Mary’s Cardinals, the Eagles lost 10-2 in five innings. In the bottom of the first, St. Mary’s scored four runs and added two more in the second inning. This was followed by another two in the bottom of the third inning. With an 8-0 St. Mary’s lead, Abbie Stigler hit a solo home run to bring the Cardinals score to 9-0.
Going into the top of the fourth UWL’s Bree Holmes scored a run off of Josie Flom’s two-out infield single. Additionally in the top of the fifth, Eagle’s outfielder Brooke Howard was brought to home plate off Lindsay Steien’s double making the score 9-2. The game ended in the bottom of the fifth inning when St. Mary’s Michaela Duffy scored. UWL wrapped up the first game with six hits, two of which were from Steien who went 2-for-3 at bat.
The game came down to pitching as Kaeley Niemiec allowed six hits, seven runs and an additional two walks. Meanwhile St. Mary’s pitcher, Kenzie Gatz, only allowed one hit while striking out four others.
In the second game against Gustavus Adolphus, the Golden Gusties had a lead of 2-0 in the bottom of the first. This was possible because a single from Hailey Petzel brought in two of her teammates: Caitlin Olafsson and Paige Gritzmaker. In the top of the second and third innings the Golden Gusties added single runs on RBI singles from Lauren Lambert and Carly Olson.
Pitcher Brynne Bieri took the loss for UWL, allowing seven hits and four runs alongside two walks and one strikeout. Carmen Follette pitched the other 3.2 innings allowing two walks while striking out six. The Eagles had three hits during the game with Steien finishing 2-for-3 at bat.
On the Golden Gusties side, Maizie Anderson earned the complete-game victory, pitching 7.0 innings and allowing three hits, three walks, all while striking out 11. Gustavus had seven hits with Olafsson and Petzel going 2-for-4 at bat. UWL ended the game with a 4-0 loss against Gustavus College making their season record 0-2.
Despite the rough beginning of the season, the Eagles return to the dome Saturday, Feb. 28 in Rochester, Minnesota. They will face off against University of Northwestern and Buena Vista University.
