The Warhawk softball team, ranked eleventh in a National Fastpitch Coaches Association top 25 poll, generated a lot of offense leading to two wins Sunday afternoon in Whitewater. UW-W defeated St. Norbert by the run rule, 8-0, in five innings and came back to win the second game 11-7.

Game One Recap

Box Score

Left-hander Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) threw a one hitter and was given all the support needed by a powerful Warhawk offense that rattled off 13 hits in the five inning contest.

Whitewater started off the day taking an early 1-0 lead after the first inning with Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) coming around to score on an Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) single to right center.

UW-W posted another run in the bottom of the third with Epifanio recording another RBI this time on a double to right center that scored Lauren Rankins (Marengo, IL/Marengo).

In the bottom of the fifth, the Warhawks batted around producing six runs on six hits (all singles) to end the game early, in five innings, due to the run rule with Whitewater getting the W, 8-0. 

Epifanio led UW-W with a perfect game at the plate, 3x3, with three RBI. Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) and Rankins each went 2x3 from the batter's box in the game.

Stang threw the complete game to pick up her tenth win of the season. The lefty went five innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking one in the shutout.

Game Two Recap

Box Score

The second game brought more offense with both teams producing hits and runs. St. Norbert got things going by taking an early 5-0 lead after one and a half. The top of the second was the Knights' big inning after a solo and three-run homerun posted four in the inning alone.

The Warhawks came back with a run in the bottom of the second after Samie Seamon (Antioch, IL/Antioch) scored on a Mertes double to center field. Another run in the bottom of the fourth brought the score to 5-2 as UW-W refused to fold.

One big inning was all Whitewater would need, and that big inning came in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Epifanio continued her stellar day at the plate with a solo shot over the center field fence, her second homerun of the year, setting the tone for the remainder of the inning. A single and an error put Eichenold on second and Haley Krueger (Beach Park, IL/Waukegan) on first with Jordyn Gaza (Mundelein, IL/Carmel Catholic) due up at the plate. Gaza came through with an RBI single down the right field line to score Eichenold and leave runners on the corners. Everybody was safe on a fielder's choice in the next at bat that loaded the bases. Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) notched a pinch hit single that scored one. Mertes singled through the right side to score two more. A groundout from Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity) moved the runners and posted another run. Rankins shot a two out single into left field to bring in Mertes and make the inning run count seven and the score of the game to 9-5 in favor of Whitewater.

UW-W added two more in the bottom of the sixth and St. Norbert tagged a two-run blast in the top of the seventh to finish the scoring in the game. The Warhawks picked up the win, 11-7.

Mertes went 3x4 from the plate in the game with one run and three RBI. Gaza was perfect in the batter's box going 2x2 with two RBI. Rankins and Eichenold each recorded two hits in the game.

Sophomore righty Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) picked up her third win of the season. Boyle threw four innings giving up two runs on five hits while striking out two and walking a pair. Stang took the mound in the bottom of the seventh to record the save.

The Warhawks are now 15-3 this season and St. Norbert falls to 5-9

UW-W is scheduled to travel to UW-Stevens Point for a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference double header Thursday, April 7 at 3:00.

For additional information: UW-W coach Brenda Volk