The UW-Whitewater softball team, ranked thirteenth according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, swept conference foe No. 23 UW-La Crosse 3-2 and 5-2 in a pair of games Thursday afternoon. Senior catcher Paige Evangelista (Wheaton, IL/North) went 3-for-6 from the plate with two homeruns, two runs batted in and three runs scored in the twinbill. With the two wins, UW-Whitewater takes over second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team standings with a record of 11-3 and just two games left on the league schedule. 

All five runs in game one were scored courtesy of the long ball.
 
The Warhawks struck first courtesy of an early homerun. Senior Deven DuCharme (Hudson/Hudson) got down in the count with one down but crushed a hard liner into right center that one-hopped the fence for a standup double, her fourth of the season. In the next at bat, senior Jo Jablonski (Palatine, IL/Palatine) tagged a sky ball to left center. The outfielders went back but the ball was long gone over the fence for her ninth round-tripper of the season giving UW-Whitewater an early 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
 
The Eagles evened the score with a four-bagger of their own, a two-run shot in the top of the fourth.
 
Evangelista gave the Warhawks the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. On the fourth pitch of her at bat, she sent a low pitch down the middle up and out of the park to straight center field on a line for her fifth homerun of the season.
 
UW-La Crosse threatened in the top of the fifth with back-to-back singles to open the inning. Senior right-hander Bekka Houda (Lisle, IL/Lisle) got out of the jam with three consecutive fly balls to bring the Warhawks back to the plate.
 
The Eagles put two runners on in the top of the sixth and moved them both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt giving the Warhawks two outs. Houda caught the next Eagle looking at strike three to get out of the inning.
 
UW-Whitewater shut down UW-La Crosse in the final frame to seal the 3-2 victory.
 
Houda picked up the win on the mound to improve to 12-3 in the circle this season. She tossed the complete game striking out three and issuing two walks in the win.
 
The Warhawk hitters combined for seven hits in the contest led by Evangelista's 2-for-3 performance with a homerun. UW-Whitewater's other two runs came from Jablonski's two-run jack in the bottom of the first inning. 

Game Two Recap
UW-L posted two runs to open the second game. The first came via a leadoff homerun to left center. The second was helped along by a Warhawk miscue.
 
Freshman Mallory Klotz (New Berlin, Wis./West) opened UW-Whitewater's half of the inning reaching on an error on a soft slap. DuCharme followed with a bunt single and both runners advanced on a groundout. A fielder's choice back to the pitcher saw a bad throw sail by the catcher to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
The Warhawks blanked the Eagles in the top of the second and headed back on offense. Senior Caitlin Snyder (Burlington/Catholic Central) singled on a flare to center field with one out. With two outs, Klotz headed to the plate and connected on the fourth pitch of her at bat. The lefty sent the ball deep to left center and over the fence for her first collegiate round-tripper to give UW-Whitewater the 3-2 lead.
 
The Warhawks added one to their tally in the bottom of the fourth. Evangelista's groundball to third went off the third baseman's glove and shot in the air. The shortstop tried to make a play but Evangelista beat out the throw to put the leadoff runner on for UW-Whitewater. Snyder's sacrifice bunt moved Evangelista into scoring position.  With two outs, DuCharme singled up the middle and Evangelista rounded third, headed for home and slid in safely for a 4-2 lead.
 
Evangelista extended the gap opening the bottom the sixth with her second homer of the day, a no-doubter solo shot on a line over the left field fence for a 5-2 lead.
 
The UW-Whitewater defense held in the top of the seventh for the sweep.
 
Sporer picked up the complete game win on the mound striking out five and walking two to improve to 10-3 this season.
 
At the plate, DuCharme notched a 2-for-4 game to lead the Warhawks.
 
UW-Whitewater will wrap up the WIAC schedule Friday against UW-Platteville. The twinbill, originally scheduled for Saturday and moved up due to a poor weather forecast, will start at 2 p.m.