UW-Whitewater, ranked eighth in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll, swept a doubleheader at UW-Stevens Point Thursday, winning 3-2 in game one and 2-1 in eight innings in the nightcap.  UW-W, 17-3, has beaten the Pointers, 11-5, eight straight games, sweeping the season series each of the last four years and dating back to the Pointers' last win April 25, 2007.

game one box score
Leftfielder Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) led off the game with a triple and was immediately singled home by second baseman Amanda Ramirez to put UW-W up in its first at bat. 

The Pointers put a runner in scoring position in the second, and UW-W had the bases loaded with one out in the third, but it stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the third.  Catcher Kelly Arndt opened the frame with a single, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by second baseman Sarah Butts.  Butts advanced to second on the play at the plate on Arndt, moved to third on a ground ball, and put up the lead run off a single by designated hitter Elyse Nelson.

The pitchers combined to toss zeros through a total of six tries, neither team getting a runner even to second base in that span.  The score remained 2-1 Point going in to the seventh.

With one out Mertes started things again, singling.  With two outs Mertes stole second, her team-leading eleventh steal in twelve tries.  Third baseman Lauren Rankins (Marengo, IL/Marengo) and catcher Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) collected back-to-back singles to bring in Mertes and tie the game, and when shortstop Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity)'s single was misplayed by a Pointer fielder the winning run came home.

Lefty Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to preserve the win for UW-W.  Stang went the distance, allowed four hits, the two earned runs, walking one and striking out eleven.  UW-SP's Sarah Babbits also tossed a complete game, yielding eleven hits, walking two and striking out two.  Mertes led all batters with a 3x4 game.

game two box score
With the bar already set high in game one, both teams pitchers proceeded to top it in game two. 

UW-SP scored in the bottom of the second.  Third baseman Katie Shulfer led off with a single and moved to with a sacrifice, and scored on Arndt's single.  And that was it, for either team, until the sixth.

With a runner on first after a fielder's choice, Rankins singled, and then Epifanio walked to load the bases.  With two outs Eichenold brought in the tying run with a fly to right.

Goose eggs for both teams in the seventh sent the game into extra innings.  Ramirez started the frame with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error.  Rankins moved Ramirez to third with a ground ball, and Ramirez came home on Epifanio's ground ball to short.  The Pointers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but Stang closed the door with two pop ups.

Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) went the first four and two-thirds for Whitewater, yielding five hits and one walk with one punch out.  Stang got the final ten outs with no runs allowed, three hits, one walk and two K's.

UW-Whitewater will be home for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend, hosting UW-La Crosse Saturday at 2:00 and the University of Chicago at 1:00 Sunday.  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 available in the stadium parking lot.

For additional information:  Brenda Volk, UW-W coach