On Monday, March 30, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) softball team earned two wins in a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Dubuque (Iowa) at North Campus Field. The Eagles won 7-5 in the opener and followed with a 5-2 win during the closing game. UWL now has a record of 13-8 while Dubuque dropped to a 13-7 record.
At the bottom of the first inning the Eagles earned three runs, and Lindsay Steien tripled with one out. Brooke Howard reached on a bunt and went to second on the play. Steien and Howard were both able to score on Kasey Brouchoud’s bunt with the help of a Dubuque throwing error resulting in their 2-0 lead. Following a sacrifice bunt made by Josie Flom, pinch-runner Madalynn Frederixon scored making the score in the bottom of the first 3-0.
UWL continued their scoring streak in the bottom of the second when Howard earned a single and brought home Chole Brown and Amber Gonzalez giving them a 5-0 lead. However, at the top of the third Dubuque brought home two of their players; Payton Santore walked with the bases-loaded and Anna Luczak was hit-by-pitch while the bases were loaded. This did not deter UWL as they responded with Laci Heppell stealing second and Brouchoud coming into score (6-2).
In the top of the fourth, Dubuque scored an additional three runs, closing in on the Eagles with a new score of 6-5. Amber Wisely was able to score due to a fielding error from the Eagles and Zoe Connell and Jamie Motley joined Wisely on home plate after a throwing error later on in the game. In the bottom of the fourth UWL added one last run, Carly Gross, to the scoreboard because of a sacrifice fly from Heppell for a lead of 7-5.
Carmen Follette was awarded the win in the opener pitching 6.1 innings. Follette allowed four hits, five runs (one being earned) and only two walks with eight strikeouts. Claran Rigby took the loss for Dubuque pitching 6.0 innings, she allowed five hits, seven runs (five of which were earned) and four walks while striking out three.
Following the opener, UWL opened the nightcap with four runs from three hits and one error during the bottom of the first. Steien was able to score on Brouchoud’s runs batted in (RBI) single marking the first run on the scoreboard. Brouchoud and Marissa Pease came home when Gonzalez reached on a throwing error for a sacrifice bunt. Flom’s sacrifice fly knocked in Gonzalez followed by Gross who made it home from a throwing error by Dubuque leaving the score 5-0.
The Spartans scored twice in the fifth inning on a single from Wisely and Lauren Jacobs’ double knocked in Kaitlyn Powell resulting in a 5-2 score. Neither team would score in the following innings. Kaeley Niemiec earns the win for UWL having pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, two runs and two walks with only one strikeout. Picking up her first save is Brooklyn Bigalke who went 2.2 innings for pitching and allowed three hits while striking out an additional three.
On the other hand, Skylar Zoeteman took the loss for Dubuque having pitched 6.0 innings, allowing five hits and five runs one of which was earned followed by two strikeouts.
UWL will return to the field Thursday April 3 in a doubleheader against MSOE (Wis.) at 2 pm; you can learn more here.
