Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) raised her record to 7-1 with a four hit, 4-0 shutout of UW-Oshkosh in game one of a doubleheader and Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) tossed a two hit 2-0 shutout in game two to give Whitewater its first back-back shutouts of the season at van Steenderen Field in Whitewater Wednesday.

Photo gallery (courtesy of Andrew Smith, all photos available for purchase)

Whitewater and Oshkosh matched goose eggs throughout game one -- except for the bottom of the third inning.  With one out Whitewater's Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) reached on a error.  Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) singled her to second, and McGrail moved up to third on another Titan error.  Mertes stole second, and Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity) walked to load the bases to bring up the three and four batters in Whitewater's lineup.  Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) doubled down the left field line to score two runs, and Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) followed with a two run single to account for all the scoring in the game.

Boyle tossed her fourth shutout of the season, and Whitewater's seventh, walking four and striking out four while lowering her ERA to 1.20.  Oshkosh junior right-hander Courtney Wautier allowed six hits, four coming in that third inning, with two walks and four strikeouts. 

Warhawk shortstop Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity), 2x3, was the only player for either team with more than one hit.

Whitewater got off to a fast start in the second game after Ramirez got walked and Evangelista reached on an error in the bottom of the first. Both runners advanced on a passed ball. Epifanio drove in Ramirez on a ground out.

It was a case of deja vu in the bottom of the fifth when Whitewater's Epifanio had her second RBI of the game, driving in Ramirez again. 

UW-W's defense also came through, when after a one out single second baseman Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) turned a double play in the top of the 6th.

Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) pitched her first shutout of the year for the Warhawks and the eighth for the team, striking out three and walking two. Oshkosh had a combined effort, with Julie Sweeny starting. She pitched 5.1 innings and allowed struck out five and walked six, with three hits. Wautier came in for relief at the bottom of the sixth. She struck out one and gave up one hit.

No player on either team had more than one hit.

UW-Whitewater, ranked ninth in the national Division III poll, is 17-3 overall and 4-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. UW-Oshkosh is 15-11, 0-2 in league play.

UW-W will host the University of Dubuque Thursday at 3:00 at van Steenderen Field.

For additional information:  Brenda Volk, UW-W coach