The Warhawk softball team, ranked eighth in a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III top 25 poll, posted a pair of shutouts against twenty-third ranked UW-Eau Claire Sunday at van Steenderen Field in Whitewater, Wisconsin. UW-W took the first game 6-0 and the nightcap 8-0.
photo gallery courtesy of Crystal Meyer (all photos are for sale)
Game one box score
Whitewater jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning. Leftfielder Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) led things off with a single up the middle and then stole second. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from second baseman Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity). Third baseman Lauren Rankins (Marengo, IL/Marengo) followed with an RBI single to right field to put the Warhawks on the board. Catcher Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) tagged her sixth homerun of the season in the next at bat to score two more. Samie Seamon (Antioch, IL/Antioch) drew a two out walk, stole second and crossed home on a Jordyn Gaza (Mundelein, IL/Carmel Catholic) single to left center to bring the score to 4-0 in favor of UW-W.
Whitewater would post single runs in the second and fourth innings, including another Epifanio homer, while holding Eau Claire at the plate to win game one 6-0.
Epifanio led UW-W offensively in the game going 2x2 with two homeruns, three RBI and two walks. Shortstop Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) went 2x4 from the plate with an RBI.
Lefty ace Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) picked up win number sixteen on the mound for the Warhawks going the distance allowing just two hits while striking out twelve and walking three.
Game two box score
A defensive/pitching battle held zeroes on the scoreboard through 5.5 innings but the Warhawks broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth.
A lead off walk from Gaza got things rolling for UW-W. Gaza advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from rightfielder Haley Krueger (Beach Park, IL/Waukegan). Designated player Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) drew the one out walk to put runners on first and second. Mertes loaded the bases in the next at bat with a single to right field. Ramirez walked to bring in the first run and Rankins followed with a single through the left side to make it 2-0 Whitewater. Epifanio drew another walk, her fourth of the game, to record another RBI. Shortstop Shauna Binsfeld (Cedarburg/Grafton) singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw while pinch runner Sarah Fisher (Greenfield/Greenfield) made it all the way to third on a throwing error by UW-EC as two more runs crossed the plate. Fisher scored on a groundout to the third baseman from Seamon to make it 6-0. Gaza, who started off the inning, notched her second homerun of the season, this time in walk-off fashion, as the Warhawks won 8-0 in six innings due to the run rule.
Rankins went 2x4 from the plate recording a run and RBI in the game. Gaza and Binsfeld each posted a two RBI game.
Stang recorded the complete game win on the mound for Whitewater to improve to 17-2 this season. She struck out seven, issued no walks and allowed three hits.
The Warhawks improve to 22-6 overall and 7-3 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Eau Claire picked up their first WIAC losses to move to 4-2 in the conference and 19-7 overall.
UW-W will host UW-Platteville Tuesday, April 19 at 3:00 at van Steenderen Field.
For additional information: UW-W coach, Brenda Volk
