Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The UW-Whitewater softball team, ranked fifteenth in the most recent National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, split a double header with UW-River Falls Sunday afternoon in Whitewater dropping the first game 5-0 and winning the nightcap 3-2. The Warhawks are 26-6 this season and 9-1 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. 

Through the first four innings it was a pitching duel between River Falls' Rose Tusa and Warhawk starting pitcher Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) (11-3) as no runs crossed the plate until the fifth.

UW-River Falls first baseman Ashley Goettl led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle.  Goettl advanced to second on a groundout from rightfielder Amber O'Connell and moved to third on a single from leftfielder Jessie Bester. Shortstop Lily Buckley stepped up and belted a two-out three-run homerun to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead through four and a half innings.

The Warhawks were unable to put up any runs in their half of the fifth and the Falcons would add two more runs in the top of the sixth after a two-run homerun of the bat of catcher Patty Olson securing the 5-0 win.

The Warhawks were only able to put runners in scoring position in one inning and they could only muster three hits in game one. Boyle notched the complete game on the mound for UW-W to move to 11-3 this season.

The Falcons starting pitcher Rose Tusa (15-5) pitched a strong six innings allowing just three hits while striking out eight Warhawks batters.  Tusa led the WIAC in strikeouts last season with 231 and she currently leads the conference this year with 147.  Tusa was also named pitcher of the year in the WIAC in 2011.

In game two, UW-River Falls struck early scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.  Second baseman Hayley Buchanan led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from designated player Amanda Ryder, and scored on catcher Olson's second homerun of the day driving in two for the early 2-0 lead.

UW-Whitewater pulled within a run in the bottom of the third. Mimi Ramirez (Chicago, IL/Trinity) and Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) posted back-to-back singles to pose a scoring threat. A two-out single up the middle off the bat of Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) brough Ramirez in to score from second making the score 2-1 after three innings in favor of the Falcons.

The score would remain the same until the Warhawks came up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.  With two on and one out, Joanne Jablonski (Palatine, IL/Palatine) singled through the right side driving in two runs to give the Warhawks a 3-2 advantage.  UW-River Falls managed to get a hit in the top of the seventh but no runs leading to the final score of 3-2.

Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) and Joanne Jablonski (Palatine, IL/Palatine) led the Warhawks in hits with two apiece. 

Tusa started again for the Falcons in game two going five innings allowing six hits and one earned run while striking out three. She would earn a no decision because Abbie Morris (4-2) took the loss after giving up two runs in the sixth.  

Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) (9-2) pitched seven innings for the Warhawks giving up seven hits and two earned runs while striking out six. 

The Warhawks take the field again April 25 in La Crosse with a doubleheader with UW-La Crosse at 3:00.

For additional information, Brenda Volk, Head Coach