UW-Whitewater, ranked eighth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, split a doubleheader with UW-La Crosse Saturday, winning game one 2-0 and losing game two 3-2 in eight innings.  The games were played at van Steenderen Field in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

photo gallery courtesy of Crystal Meyer (all photos are for sale)

game one box score
The Eagles got a runner to second base in the top of the first, but both teams ended up scoreless in the opening frame. 

The Warhawks scratched out a run in the second.  Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) led off with a single and advanced to second on Haley Krueger (Beach Park, IL/Waukegan)'s sacrifice bunt.  Eichenhold moved up to third on a ground out and scored on Samie Seamon (Antioch, IL/Antioch)'s single. 

That would prove to be all Jessica Stang (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) needed.  La Crosse got a runner to second base in the third, had runners on second and third in the sixth, and another runner on second in the seventh -- but Stang and the Warhawk defense closed the door each time.  Stang allowed five hits, all singles, walked one and struck out sixth.  She did not have any wild pitches, hit batters or balks. 

Whitewater's second run came in the third.  Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity) opened the frame with a walk, moved to second on a ground ball, and came home on a single by Eichenold.

UW-L hurler Lacey Post also allowed just five hits, with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.  She was also not charged with any hit batters, wild pitches or balks.

game two box score
Game two was a seesaw affair. 

Four of the first six half innings went 1-2-3, with no one reaching scoring position.

UW-L drew first blood in the fourth.  Kelsey Golackson doubled to lead off the inning, and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jenna Annen.  Lauren Schaller plated the run with a fly ball to left field.

Whitewater took the lead with two runs in the sixth.  Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) singled to start the inning, and Eichenhold bunted her to second.  Mertes moved up sixty feet on a wild pitch, and then jogged home on Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South)'s third home run of the season.

The Eagles' Schaller figured in the tying run too, beginning the seventh with a double.  That run came home when Katie Keyes singled with two outs to make it 2-2.  Whitewater went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning and it was on to extra innings.

UW-L's Rachel Weyer led off the eighth with a single, moved to second on Cheri Pertzborn's sacrifice, and moved up to third on a wild pitch.  Annen knocked in the winning run with a single to right.

Lauren Beres, 7-6, went the distance on five hits to pick up the win for La Crosse.  Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) went the first five and two thirds for UW-W, with Stang coming on in the sixth. 

UW-W is 18-4 this season, 4-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  UW-L is 16-9 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Whitewater will host the University of Chicago, 14-6, at 1:00 Sunday at van Steenderen Field on the north end of the UW-W campus.  There is no admission charge and free parking is available in the Perkins Stadium lot. 

For addtional information: Brenda Volk, UW-W head coach