The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team registered a pair of thrilling extra inning wins to cap the 2024 spring trip in Florida with a 10-0 record. The Warhawks opened the day with a 3-2 8-inning win over Colby before topping Tufts 4-1 in a 9-inning contest.
Offense, defense and pitching were all on display in the pair of contests Saturday as UWW came back from a deficit in both games.
Colby tallied the first run of game one courtesy of a UWW miscue in the first inning of game one. A defensive and pitching battled ensued as the 1-0 score held until the sixth.
After a three-up, three-down inning on defense,
Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) drew a one-out walk and
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) followed with a hard shot up the middle to put two runners on.
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) stepped into the box and put together the best at bat of the entire trip. With a 1-1 count, Anderson fouled off the next eight pitches. She watched a pair of pitches sail high before fouling off one more. On the 14th pitch of the at bat, Anderson tagged a ball that bounced over third base and down the line for a double that knotted the game 1-1.
In the seventh, Colby notched a single for the lone baserunner of the inning to send the game into extras.
Starting the eighth with a runner on second courtesy of the international tiebreaker rule, Colby attempted to bunt but the batter popped up the attempt and
JJ Jakosalem (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) hauled it in for the first out. A successful sacrifice on the next at bat had the go-ahead runner on third and Colby capitalized with a RBI triple to claim the advantage.
Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) got out of the inning with a strikeout.
The Colby defense made a good play to get the lead runner out on a fielder's choice in the Warhawks first at bat of the bottom of the eighth. A fielding error had
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) reaching safely to put two runners on. With two outs and runners on the corners,
Auburn Roberson (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) was down to her final strike when she laced a ball down the right field line for a two-run, game-winning double.
Wickman had two of UWW's four hits in the game with a run scored. Hock picked up the win on the mound. In four innings of relieve, she allowed just two hits while striking out six for her second win of the season.
Game two was a pitcher's duel as the pair scattered four hits across four innings of work combined. Tufts broke the stalemate in the top of the fifth. A leadoff single was followed by a groundout and a RBI single to put the Jumbos on top 1-0.
The one-run score held until the top of the seventh.
Maggie Ward (Downers Grove, Ill./North) opened the frame with a perfectly placed bunt down the line for an infield single. Kostroski followed with a sacrifice bunt and Ward showcased her head's up baserunning round second and taking off for third on the open base. The Jumbos' second baseman threw to third as Ward slid in safely and the ball caromed into the Warhawks' dugout to give Ward home.
Hock struck out two and Wickman got the third on a groundout to send the game into extras.
Neither squad could capitalize on the international tiebreaker in the eighth, but UWW made good on the advantage in the ninth. A miscue on the leadoff at bat put two runners on and a groundout advanced both into scoring position. Kostroski blasted a ball passed the third baseman to bring in two runs. With one out, Anderson came up big once again with another single through the left side that plated Kostroski for a 4-1 UWW lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Wickman hauled in a popup in foul territory for the first out.
Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) reined in a long fly ball in center for out number two.
Kaitlyn Weidemann (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) registered the final out on a popup to shortstop.
UWW posted five hits in the game, all from different Warhawks. Anderson went the first six innings in the circle. She struck out four while allowing five hits. Hock came in for the final three innings to pick up her second win of the day. The sophomore no-hit the Jumbos while striking out two to improve to 3-0 on the season.
