Box Score MENOMONIE, Wis. - The UW-Whitewater softball team topped UW-La Crosse 2-1 in the first round of play in the WIAC Championship hosted by UW-Stout in Menomonie. The Warhawks, the number two seed, will face the winner of UW-Oshkosh and UW-Eau Claire, the third and fourth seeds respectively, Saturday at 12 pm.

Senior catcher Chelsey Schobert (Belmont/Belmont) bolstered the UW-W offense Friday afternoon with two of the team's seven hits and provided the game winning run. Junior righthander Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) had a solid outing on the mound going the distance with six strikeouts and four walks while allowing just four hits in the complete game win. The righty improved to 13-4 this season. 

Whitewater put the pressure on with a single run in the bottom of the second to open the scoring in the game. Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) led off the inning with a double to centerfield. Perfect execution including a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Laura Eichenold (Elmwood Park, IL/Trinity) and a groundball to the right side of the field in the next two at bats brought Evangelista around to score.

La Crosse knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth. A fielder's choice put one Eagle runner on with two outs. A passed ball followed by a walk and a single allowed UW-L to score their lone run of the game.

The Warhawks struck back in their half of the inning. Schobert got the offense going with a two-out line shot up the middle. Samie Seamon (Antioch, IL/Antioch) followed suit tagging a ball to right field for a double to put runners on second and third for UW-W. Caitlin Snyder (Burlington/Catholic Central) stepped in the batter's box as a pinch hitter but was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kelly McGrail (Tinley Park, IL/V.J. Andrew) put pressure on the defense with a groundball and an Eagle error allowed Schobert to score the eventual game-winning run.

The winner of the WIAC Championship will also be crowned the WIAC (regular season) Champion and receive the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. 


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