The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team split a pair of games against UW-Oshkosh in a top 25 battle at the van Steenderen Softball Complex Wednesday. The No. 20 Titans took game one 13-2 in five innings while the No. 23 Warhawks secured the nightcap in walkoff fashion, 6-5.
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) had a day ... the junior third baseman went 5-6 in the batter's box including registering the walkoff hit the catapulted UWW to the win in game two, handing the Titans their first loss of 2024. Wickman led the Warhawks in the opener with a perfect 2-2 game at the plate.
In the circle
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) suffered her first loss of the 2024 campaign in 4.1 innings of work.
The nightcap was an absolute thriller. UW-Oshkosh opened the scoring in the top of the first with a single run on a pair of hits. The Warhawks responded in the bottom of the second. Wickman sparked the frame with a hard shot through the left side for a single.
Taylor Koehler (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) followed suit with a liner to left field for another base knock. With two outs,
JJ Jakosalem (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) singled to left center that plated both runs to give UWW a 2-1 lead.
That score held until the top of the fifth when the Titan offense gained steam. Three hits later including a two-run homer, UW-Oshkosh had regained the lead 5-2.
The Warhawk offense started rolling in the sixth.
Belle Lapacek (Downers Grove, Ill./South) showcased her speed with a lead off single on a soft liner into the pitching circle.
Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) tagged a ball that sailed over the left fielder's head for a RBI double. Koehler was aggressive sending the first strike she saw on a dart through the left side to put runners on the corners with one out.
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) came in to pinch hit and plated UW-Whitewater's second run of the inning on a grounder.
Trailing by one heading into the seventh, the Titans threatened with a one out double but
Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) got out of the jam with a strikeout and and a groundout back up the middle she fielded and tossed to first.
Down to their last bats,
Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) had the Warhawk faithful up and cheering with a leadoff flare single left field.
Kaitlyn Weidemann (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) battled to a full count and put the ball in play. The soft popup fell into the Bermuda Triangle behind the pitching circle and dropped to the dirt for an infield single.
UW-Oshkosh secured the next two outs at third base on fielder's choices. Down to their final out, Wickman stepped into the batter's box with Warhawks on first and second. She watched the first pitch go by on the outside - ball one. The next one was in on the plate and Wickman pulled it on a grounder that sneaked by the diving third baseman's glove, hopped over third and rolled into the left field corner. Dunning came flying around third scoring easily. Kostroski motored around second, picked up head coach
Brenda Volk waving her home, rounded third and dove head first into home to secure the win.
UWW belted 11 hits in the game led by a 3-4 game at the plate from Wickman who added a pair of RBI and a run scored. Koehler was 2-3 in the batter's box as eight Warhawks registered hits in the contest.
In the circle,
Rhiann Dick (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) pitched a great 4.1 innings allowing four hits along the way.
Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) came in for the final 2.2 innings allowing three hits to pickup the win and move to 5-1 on the season.
