The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team swept UW-Eau Claire on the road Saturday. The Warhawks took game one 11-1 in five innings before completing the sweep with a 5-2, eight-inning, victory in the nightcap.
UWW scored early and often in the opener setting the tone offensively.
Kaitlyn Weidemann (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) drew a walk to leadoff the game. In the next at bat,
Bella Eggert (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) laid down a bunt and the throw by the Blugold third baseman sailed over the first baseman and into right field. Weidemann scored easily as Eggert motored to third.
Taylor Koehler (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) made it 2-0 UWW with a two-out single through the left side later in the frame.
UWEC plated their sole run of the game in the bottom of the first. After a scoreless second, UW-Whitewater jumped right back on the bats.
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) laced a one-out double to center field. An infield single for Koehler was followed up by a single down the left field line by
Maggie Ward (Downers Grove, Ill./North) that brought in one run.
Maddy Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) made it three consecutive base knocks to score one more.
Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) notched a RBI single to right center with two outs that put runners on the corners. Weidemann drew another walk on a 3-1 count. With a hit-and-run on, Dunning took off towards second drawing a throw as
Keira Jarrett (Evergreen Park, Ill./Mother McAuley) stole home on the throw down. After four runs came home in the third, UWW led 6-1.
The Warhawks added three more in the fourth on three hits before posting two runs on three hits in the fifth for the final.
Six Warhawks registered two hits in the game including Eggert, Wickman, Koehler, Ward, Anderson and Dunning.
Anderson held the Blugolds to just three hits while striking out five to pickup the complete game win and move to 7-1 on the season.
UW-Eau Claire plated the first run of game two in the bottom of the first. UWW tied it up in the top of the third on Koehler's RBI double to left field. Another double, this time off Weidemann's bat, gave UW-Whitewater a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
The Blugolds came back to knot the game in the bottom of the sixth and, after a quick seventh, the game went into extras.
Koehler provided a spark in the eighth crushing a double to left center with one out. Ward followed with a walk before Anderson loaded the bases with a pinch hit single to shallow left field.
JJ Jakosalem (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) stepped to the plate with one out. Firing a single into right field, one run came in easily. Head coach
Brenda Volk was waving around the second Warhawk runner as the throw sailed well high of the catcher. As the ball caromed off the fence, a
Auburn Roberson (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) came sliding into home getting her toe to the plate before the tag.
The three-run cushion held through the bottom of the frame as Madi DeBennett sent the Blugold batters back to the dugout in order with a strikeout, a flyout and a groundout.
Koehler and Jakosalem led UWW with a pair of hits each in game two.
Rhiann Dick (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) went the first five, striking out four along the way. DeBennette shutout and shutdown the Blugolds in the final three frames, striking out one without allowing a hit to improve to 3-0 on the season.
