Rock Island, IL -- The UW-Whitewater softball team split a doubleheader at Augustana (IL) Saturday afternoon. The Vikings took game one 5-2 but the Warhawks rebounded with an 11-3 win in the nightcap.
UWW opened the scoring in the top of the fifth as
Claire Kohnle (Tisch Mills, Wis./Kewaunee) put the ball in play for an RBI fielder's choice that plated
Auburn Roberson (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North). Augustana responded with a pair in the bottom of the frame to claim the lead.
In the sixth, Roberson tagged a double that caromed off the fence in left field as
Maggie Ward (Downers Grove, Ill./North) cruised around the bases to tie the game 2-2. Augustana was able to push three runs across in the bottom of the inning for the 5-3 final.
The Warhawks left 11 runners on base in the game.
Emma Giese (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) and Roberson paced the UWW offense with two hits each as the Warhawks tallied nine hits in the game.
Josie Hammen (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly) tossed the first 4.1 innings, striking out five along the way.
Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) suffered the loss to move to 2-1 on the season.
UW-Whitewater capitalized at the plate in game two scoring runs in four innings. After the Vikings scored in the bottom of the first, the Warhawks responded with three runs in the top of the second. Roberson sparked the bats with a leadoff double to right center and
Dani Peshia (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) followed with a walk. Ward sacrificed the runners into scoring position.
Bella Eggert (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) singled to left field to bring in both runs. Two batters later,
Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) singled through the left side to plate Eggert for a 3-1 Warhawk lead.
UWW held the lead the rest of the way. In the third, Ward blasted a ball up the middle that brought in one run. She led off the sixth with a double to center field. Eggert laid down a beautiful bunt and beat out the throw to put runners on the corners.
Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) put down a sneaky surprise bunt to catch the defense off guard - one run came in on the bunt single. Wickman tagged a single through the left side that plated two more and Roberson capped the inning with a hard shot up the middle that deflected off the pitcher for a RBI to extend the gap to 8-3.
The Warhawks added three more in the top of the seventh, capitalizing on a pair of hits and four walks for the final, 11-3.
Eggert was 4-5 at the plate with 3 runs scored and a pair of RBI. Wickman went 3-5 at the plate while Roberson and Ward added two hits each.
Madi DeBennette (Wadsworth, Ill./Carmel Catholic) picked up the win in 4.1 innings of relief. She fanned eight without allowing a single run to improve to 6-1 this season.
