Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. -- The UW-Whitewater softball team battled for a pair of wins over UW-Stevens Point Wednesday to maintain their lead in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference race. The Warhawks took game one 2-1 and came back to win the nightcap 8-6. 

The first game was a pitcher's duel with both hurlers putting up zeros until the seventh. In the top of the seventh, Dani Peshia (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) sparked the offense with a one-out single through the right side and was replaced on the base paths by Belle Lapacek (Downers Grove, Ill./South). Maggie Ward (Downers Grove, Ill./North) stepped to the plate and drew a pinch hit, four pitch walk. Both speedsters advanced on a ground out to bring up Taylor Koehler (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) in another pinch hit role. The lefty tagged a single to the opposite field as both Lapacek and Ward bolted home for the 2-0 Warhawk lead. 

In the bottom of the frame, a leadoff single had Brooke Hock (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) taking over for Josie Hammen (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly) in the circle. The save specialist walked the first batter but forced fly outs on the next two batters. An infield single allowed one run to score, but the UWW defense held registering the final out on a fly ball hauled in by Claire Kohnle (Tisch Mills, Wis./Kewaunee) in left field. 

UW-Whitewater was outhit in the game, 8-3, but found a way - as good teams do - to come away with the win. Emma Giese (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail), Peshia and Koehler each tallied hits in the game. 

Hammen tossed a fantastic six innings scattering six hits while striking out four. She picked up the win to improve to 14-1 on the season. Hock pitched the final inning for her sixth save of the 2025 campaign. 

Game two was a much different story as 10 runs came across in the first three innings. UW-Whitewater opened the scoring on a solo blast from Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson). The Pointers responded with a single run in the bottom of the frame. 

UW-Stevens Point opened up the game in the second plating five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 6-1 lead. 

The Warhawk offense cut the gap to two in the third - all coming with two outs. Bella Eggert (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) sparked the inning beating out an infield single. Kostroski drew a walk and Giese loaded the bases with a single up the middle. Grace Wickman (Wausaukee, Wis./Peshtigo) crushed a ball to right field for a bases-clearing triple to make it 6-4. 

That score held until the seventh. Down to their last at bats, Eggert opened the inning with a nifty single over the infield that landed just inside the foul line in shallow left field. Kostroski and Giese notched back-to-back singles to load the bases. The Pointers were able to get the next two outs but Auburn Roberson (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) kept the inning alive with a single up the middle that tied the game. 

Kohnle drew a walk to load 'em up once again. After a pitching change, the Warhawks capitalized as Wickman and Roberson came in on two consecutive wild pitches to take an 8-6 lead. 

UW-Stevens Point drew a leadoff walk. The next batter sent a hot shot back up the middle that Hock snagged and tossed to Kostroski at first for the double play. It was deja vu for the final out as Hock forced a fly out that Kohnle secured in left field to seal the win. 

UWW blasted 11 hits in the game including two each from Eggert, Kostroski, Giese and Roberson. 

Four Warhawk pitchers saw action in the circle with Hock registering the win to improve to 5-1. She tossed the final three innings, shutting out the Pointers while allowing just a single hit. 

Heading into the final weekend of conference games, UW-Whitewater sits atop the WIAC standings with an 8-2 mark in league play. UW-Oshkosh holds second at 8-4 while UW-Eau Claire is third at 7-5.