The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team picked up two more wins Monday to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Warhawks topped St. Catherine 8-1 before taking down Bowdoin 6-5.
UWW opened the scoring in game one with three runs in the third inning and then continued to add to their total over the next three frames.
Delaney Becker (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) got the Warhawks on the board with double to center that plated a pair of runs.
Liv Ybarra (Chicago, Ill./Taft) follwed with a single through the right side that had Becker sliding into home safely for a 3-0 lead.
Bella Eggert (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) singled up the middle to bring in one more in the fourth. In the fifth,
Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) tagged a ball to left for a single. The outfielder misplayed the hop and Kostroski motored all the way to third. She came in to score on a sacrifice fly off Ybarra's bat to make it 5-0.
The Warhawks added on three more in the sixth courtesy of a wild pitch, a throwing error and a RBI walk.
St. Catherine plated a single run in the sixth but UWW shut them down in the seventh with a three-up, three-down frame.
Eggert was a perfect 3-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored to lead UWW. She also had one of the best defensive plays on the day with a fantastic over the shoulder catch for the third out early in the game. Becker added another top defensive play on a hard hit ball up the middle. The second baseman backhanded and glove-flipped to
Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) for the force out at two.
Rhiann Dick (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) registered her first win in her first appearance in the circle this season. She tossed four innings of two-hit ball while fanning six without issuing a free base.
All of the offense in game two came in three innings. The Warhawks posted three runs in the bottom of the first. Bowdoin responded with a five-spot in the third before UWW reclaimed the lead with a pair in the fourth.
After a three-up, three-down top of the first, the Warhawk offense was ready to roll. Eggert and Dunning drew back-to-back walks. Kostroski tagged a ball to center field that had the outfielder heading straight back toward the wall. Both runners tagged on the deep fly as the fielder dove but couldn't wrangle the smash as Eggert came around to score.
A Polar Bear error in the next at bat loaded the bases and the Warhawks capitalized with two outs.
Ally Dietz (Lake Villa, Ill./Lakes Community) singled through the right side to bring in two and give UWW a 3-0 lead.
The Bowdoin bats got going in the top of the third posting seven hits including a three-run blast en route to a five spot as the Polar Bears took the lead 5-3.
The Warhawks responded in the bottom of the fourth. Once again UWW capitalized on a Bowdoin miscue. Dietz walked and was replaced on the base paths by Bella Lapacek.
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) reached on the miscue and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Ward drew a walk to load the bases.
Taylor Koehler (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) brought in one with a pinch hit fielder's choice. With two outs, Dunning connected on a shot to left field that brought in two as she trotted to second to give UW-Whitewater the 6-5 lead.
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) headed to the circle for the final three innings. She allowed just two hits the rest of the way to secure the save.
Kate Cleveland (DePere, Wis./Ashwaubenon) had a great start and picked up the win to move to 1-0 on the season.
All six of the UWW hits were posted by different Warhawks in the contest.
UW-Whitewater continues play in The Spring Games with games against Hope College and Trinity College starting at 11:30 ET tomorrow.
