Two pitching gems yielded the expected results -- just for different teams Sunday.  UW-Whitewater shut out the University of Chicago 2-0 in game one, and the Maroons turned the tables in game two with a 6-0 win.  UW-Whitewater, now 19-5, is ranked eighth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, and Chicago stands at 15-7.

photo gallery (courtesy of Ryan Kolter) available for purchase

game one box
Centerfielder Amanda Ramirez singled in the first inning, stole second base, and came home on a single off the bat of catcher Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South). 

It would prove to be the only run senior lefthander Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) would need.  Stang scattered three hits, all singles, walked just one and struck out seven in raising her record to 14-2. 

Epifanio led off the fourth with her fourth home run of the season, giving her a team leading 21 runs batted in. 

game two box
As in game one, the winning run came in the first inning.  Senior catcher Sara Whaley brought in two runs with a first inning double to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third UC went long ball, with rightfielder Samantha Hobson and third baseman Maddie McManus both cracking two run home runs, giving Chicago a 6-0 lead after three.

UW-W had runners in scoring position in the first, third and sixth, but none made it the last sixty feet. 

Sophomore righthander Melissa Collins went the distance for Chicago, giving up four hits and one walk while striking out two.  Collins improved to 6-1 with her second shutout of the season.

Leftfielder Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove), 2x3, had half of Whitewater's hits.

UW-W will resume Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Wednesday at UW-Oshkosh.  The Warhawks will return home to host UW-Eau Claire Saturday, April 16 at 2:00.  All home games are played at van Steenderen Field, west of Perkins Stadium and north of Williams Center/Kachel Fieldhouse on campus.  Free parking is adjacent to the field in the stadium parking lot.

For additional information:  Brenda Volk, UW-W coach