CLERMONT, Fla. - The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team improved to 6-2 this season with two wins Tuesday. The Warhawks shutout Carthage in an 8-0 shortened game (five inning) win and topped Buffalo State 8-6 at the Legends Way Softball Complex in Clermont. 

The Warhawks opened up the game against Carthage with two big innings. After two scoreless trips to the plate, UW-Whitewater got the offense going in the bottom of the third. 

Freshman Mallory Klotz (New Berlin, Wis./West) led off the inning with a walk. Senior Deven DuCharme (Hudson/Hudson) showcased her speed with a single on a drag bunt that fell just in front of home plate. With one out, senior Kelynn Sporer (Chilton/Chilton) launched a ball into center field and over the fielder's head for a double scoring Klotz. Sophomore Amy Ricci (Gurnee, IL/Warren Township) followed suit with a liner to the centerfield fence that plated two more for a 3-0 lead after three innings.

In their next at bats, UW-Whitewater opened the inning with a Hannah Taylor (Glen Ellyn, IL/Glenbard South) single. She ended up on second after a Carthage miscue in the outfield. Klotz laid down a pretty bunt in the next at bat, beat out the throw and hustled to second when the defense left the base open while Taylor stopped at third. DuCharme singled and advanced to second on another Carthage error that allowed two Warhawks to cross the plate. Senior Jo Jablonski (Palatine, IL/Palatine) went with an outside pitch sending the ball into right field and all the way to fence for an inside the park homerun to give the purple and black a 7-0 lead.

Senior righthander Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) sat down the Lady Reds in order in the top of the fifth sending the Warhawks back to the plate. Freshman Michayla Swanson (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Caitlin Snyder (Burlington/Catholic Central) entered the game as a pinch hitter and notched a one-out single to center field putting runners on the corners. Sophomore Hayley Morelli stepped in as another pinch hitter and hit a rocket to right field to bring in Swanson and end the game early via the run rule. 

Houda went five innings allowing three hits while striking out four and walking one. She blanked the Lady Reds for her third shutout in four appearances on the mound this season improving to 3-1. 

The Warhawk hitters registered 13 hits including three for extra bases. Jablonski went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and a run scored. DuCharme was also 2-for-3 in the batter's box with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Maggie Hansen (Algonquin, IL/Jacobs) recorded a multi-hit game with two singles in three at bats. Seven more Warhawks recorded hits in the game. 

Buffalo State Recap
The Warhawks thwarted a late inning comeback to defeat Buffalo State 8-6 in the nightcap Tuesday. 

Buffalo State opened the scoring with two runs on one hit in the bottom of the first inning. 

Hansen walked to open the second inning. Morelli hit the sweet spot on a pitch sending it rising into centerfield and just out of reach of the Bengals' centerfielder allowing Hansen to score and cut the lead in half, 2-1. 

Jablonski drew a one-out walk in the top of the third. Sporer singled through the left side and Ricci walked to load the bases. Hansen's infield groundball brought one runner home and senior Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) tagged a double to left center to plate two more and give UW-Whitewater 4-2 lead. 

The Warhawks used back-to-back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the fourth to add two more to the scoreboard. 

Buffalo State would negate UW-Whitewater's mark in the top of the fourth with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. 

After a scoreless fifth, Klotz reached on an error to lead off the sixth. With two outs, Sporer singled through the left side to bring in Klotz and then stole second to move into scoring position. Ricci's single to left center plated Sporer to give the Warhawks an 8-4 lead. 

Buffalo State plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh but the UW-Whitewater defense along with relievers Cara Smoczynski (Aurora, IL/Rosary) and Stephanie Waller (Oak Lawn, IL/Richards) held on for the win. 

DuCharme and Sporer each went 2-for-4 in the batter's box combining for three runs scored and a run batted in. 

Sporer had double duty, starting the game on the pitcher's mound and in the offensive lineup. The righty tossed 4.0 innings allowing four hits while striking out two and walking one to improve to 2-1 this season. 

UW-Whitewater has two days remaining on their annual spring trip. The Warhawks will face Thomas College and Union at 11 and 1 p.m. Eastern time respectively Wednesday.