Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The UW-Whitewater softball team, ranked twelfth in the most recent National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll, led off the annual spring trip with two wins Friday afternoon in Clermont, Florida. The Warhawks topped Lawrence University 11-6 in game one and defeated Bethel University 6-0 in the nightcap.

Lawrence Recap  || Box Score ||
LU posted the first runs of the game with two right off the bat in the first inning. Another two runs for the Vikings in the top of the third put the Warhawks down 4-0. Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) scored the first Whitewater run in the bottom of the third after beating out a bunt for a single, stealing second, advancing to third on a ground ball and crossing the plate on a fielder's choice off the bat of Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South).

The fifth inning was the story of the game for UW-W. Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity), Mertes and Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity) put together consecutive singles to bring the Warhawk bats to life. The rest of the team followed posting eight runs off of ten hits in the fifth inning alone giving the Warhawks a 9-4 lead.

Whitewater would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and Lawrence responded with two of their own in the top of the seventh bringing the final score to 11-6 and notching the first win for UW-W in the 2012 season.

Whitewater totaled 18 hits in the game leading to the 11 runs scored.

Mertes led UW-W from the plate going 3x4 with a double, two runs batted in, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Ramirez and Epifanio each posted a 2x4 performance at the plate to combine for three RBI's and two runs scored. Ramirez added a stolen base and Epifanio belted two doubles in the contest.

Freshman hurler Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) picked up her first win of her collegiate career pitching three innings while allowing just one hit.

Bethel Recap  || Box Score ||
Picking up where the first game left off offensively, the Warhawks put one on the board right away in the second game. Ramirez crossed the plate fist after singling through the left side, stealing second, reaching third on a fielder's choice and touching home on a ground out.

Whitewater added another run in the top of the third, Again it was Ramirez would tallied the run after an infield single, another stolen second base and a ground out coupled with a throwing error allowed her to score from second.

Morgan Krisch (Plainfield, IL/Central) posted two more for the Warhawks in the top of the fifth with a homerun over the centerfield fence that scored Ramirez for the third time in the game.

UW-W added a run in the top of the sixth and top of the seventh innings while holding Bethel scoreless to finish out the game with a 6-0 win.

Ramirez went 3x3 from the plate in the game, scoring three runs and adding two stolen bases. Krisch notched the first homer for the team this season to cap a 2x4 performance from the plate.

Junior transfer Amy Christopher (Lafayette, CO/Holy Family) went the distance on the mound for Whitewater shutting down Bethel's offense and allowing just three hits in seven innings pitched with six strikeouts.

After a 2-0 start to the season, UW-W will continue play in Clermont, FL with two games Saturday, March 24 facing Williams at 10:00 am ET and a team to be determined at noon.

For additional information: Brenda Volk, UW-W coach