CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team recorded their two highest run outputs of the season Tuesday in victories over non-conference opponents from Illinois at the National Training Center Softball Complex.
The Warhawks (4-3 overall) totaled 28 hits in the two games combined, recording 12 in a 15-4 triumph over Benedictine to start the day and 16 more in an 11-5 win over Millikin.
Millikin (4-6) put UW-Whitewater in an early deficit with a four-run top of the first inning.
The Warhawks responded with four of their own in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a three-run double down the left field line by freshman catcher
Nikki Mikosz (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling).
The Big Blue regained the lead with a run in the top of the fourth, but UW-Whitewater tallied three in the bottom half of the frame and totaled seven unanswered runs over the course of the contest.
Junior first baseman
Amy Ricci (Gurnee, IL/Warren Township) gave the Warhawks the lead for good with a two-run triple down the right field line, and came around to score on an infield single by senior designated player
Maggie Hansen (Algonquin, IL/Jacobs).
Freshman centerfielder
Caitlin Catino (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) finished 4-for-4, including a two-run triple in the fifth inning, and scored a team-high three runs. Mikosz knocked in a team-best four runs, Ricci plated three and Hansen and Catino each collected two RBI.
Freshman pitcher
Julia Camardo (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) entered in relief with one out in the top of the first and picked up the win, improving to 2-1 with an eight-strikeout performance.
Against Benedictine (4-3), UW-Whitewater used six-run innings in the first and fifth to end the contest by run rule after five.
Hansen, Ricci, Catino and freshman third baseman
Kelly Berglund (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) tallied two hits apiece to lead the offense. Ricci, Berglund, sophomore second baseman Michaela Swanson and freshman shortstop
Emily Rux (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) each knocked in two runs.
Catino totaled three runs scored. Hansen, Swanson, Rux and sophomore left fielder
Mallory Klotz (New Berlin, Wis./West) all scored twice.
Junior pitcher
Stephanie Waller (Oak Lawn, IL/Richards) tossed the first four innings to improve to 2-1 on the year. Freshman
Molly Ethington (Rock Island, Ill./Alleman Catholic) pitched the final frame in relief.
The Warhawks continue play Wednesday against Fontbonne (Mo.) and St. Scholastica (Minn.) at 2 and 4 p.m. Central Time, respectively.
UW-Whitewater looks to avenge a 5-2 setback against the Saints earlier on the trip.
