Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Warhawk softball team battled the elements in Clermont, Florida Sunday afternoon en route to two wins to improve to 6-0 this season. The Warhawks opened the day with a 7-6 win over St. Benedict (MN) before surviving a 3.5 hour weather delay midway through the seventh in the nightcap to defeat Fontbonne 10-9 in eight innings. Senior Amanda Mertes (Des Plaines, IL/Elk Grove) stole two bases in the twinbill for six total this season and 73 in her career to surpass Colleen Boilini (2002-05) for the top spot in the UW-W record book

St. Benedict grabbed an early lead in game one, putting up three runs in the top of the first.

The Warhawks answered in their half of the inning scoring four. Mertes led off the inning with a walk followed by an error on a bunt attempt landing runners on second and third with no outs. Back-to-back triples from juniors Morgan Krisch (Plainfield, IL/Central) and Samie Seamon (Antioch, IL/Antioch) and an RBI off the bat of Chelsey Schobert (Belmont/Belmont) plated four runs to give UW-W the 4-3 lead after one inning.

The Warhawk defense allowed just one hit in the next three innings but didn't add to the lead from the batter's box. The Blazers warmed up at the plate in the scoring three runs on two hits to regain the advantage, 6-4.

Keeping with the pattern, Whitewater answered in their half of the inning to tie the game. Schobert and Emily Epifanio (Park Ridge, IL/Maine South) notched RBI's in the inning to plate Seamon and Courtney Smith (St. Charles, IL/North) with the help of a pair of Blazer errors.

UW-W held St. Benedict in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half of the inning, Krisch reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Seamon came up clutch at the plate tagging a double to center to score Krisch from first for the winning run.

Seamon led the Warhawks at the plate going 2x3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore right hander Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) allowed just two hits in the final two innings to pick up the win and move to 3-0 this season.

Mertes set the tone for game two with a walk followed by a stolen base that broke the school's career steals record. Fontbonne held on defense and grabbed the lead in their first at-bats plating one run off of one hit.

Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) led off the top of the second with a walk and advanced to second on Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity)'s sacrifice bunt. Evangelista advanced on a groundout and Joanne Jablonski (Palatine, IL/Palatine) put runners on the corners drawing a one-out walk. Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) singled to right and advanced to third on an error while both runners crossed the plate. Mertes' two-out single to right plated McGrail and gave the Warhawks the 3-1 lead.

UW-W added to the lead in the top of the third with another run. Schobert drew a bases loaded walk to score Krisch for the RBI giving Whitewater a 4-1 advantage.

Fontbonne responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs on four hits to tie the game 4-4 after three complete. The Griffins added three more in the bottom of the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-4 after six innings.

The Warhawks matched the storm that was rolling with their bats in the top of the seventh. Evangelista and Eichenold notched back-to-back singles to open the inning and Schobert drew a walk to load the bases. McGrail was hit by a pitch to plate the first run of the inning and Mertes put the ball in play to score the second. Deven DuCharme (Hudson/Hudson) tagged a pinch hit, two-RBI double to left to bring the Warhawks within one, 9-8. Krisch's triple to left center scored DuCharme and evened the score 9-9.

The storm that had been brewing erupted pouring down rain and hail suspending the game for 3.5 hours as the teams were forced to take shelter.

Whitewater's defense held after the long delay to force extra innings. The international tie breaker rule is used in additional innings at the National Training Center Spring Games. The rule places the final out of the previous inning on second to begin the eighth inning for each team.

With Seamon already on second, Eichenold singled to first base as Seamon rounded third base aggressively and was caught in a rundown between home and third. Seamon headed for home after a long, back-and-forth rundown, and was able to reach the plate after a failed tag attempt to give Whitewater the 10-9 lead.

The Warhawk defense went three up, three down in the bottom of the eighth to grab the team's sixth win of the season.

Eichenold went 3x3 in the batter's box with a walk and run scored. Krisch was 2x3 with an RBI, run scored and two walks.

Senior righty Katie Boyle (Greendale/Thomas More) allowed four hits in 4.2 innings on the mound to improve to 3-0.

UW-W has the day off tomorrow before returning to the field Tuesday for games against Western Connecticut and Buena Vista at 1:00 and 3:00 EST.


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