Warhawks Hand Titans First WIAC Defeats Of Season
UW-Whitewater removed UW-Oshkosh from the unbeaten ranks in the WIAC softball standings with victories of 2-1 and 14-11 over the Titans on Wednesday (April 23) in Whitewater.
The Warhawks won the opener thanks to Chelsey Schobert's two-run single in the fifth inning. The nightcap featured plenty of fireworks, including a total of 21 runs and 17 hits during the first three innings. UW-Whitewater led 12-9 after three frames and withstood UW-Oshkosh scoring threats in the fourth and fifth innings.
With the wins, UW-Whitewater (25-8) jumped into second place in the WIAC race with a 10-2 record. UW-Stout (22-10) sits atop the league standings with a 9-1 record, while UW-Oshkosh (20-8) lists third at 8-2, UW-Eau Claire (23-13) fourth at 8-4 and UW-La Crosse (19-9) fifth at 7-5. Teams conclude their 16-game WIAC schedule early next week.
In the opener, UW-Oshkosh broke a scoreless contest on Emily Mallek's fourth-inning groundout. Tess Fadness led off the inning with a double and moved to third base on a throwing error.
UW-Whitewater scored the game's final runs in the fifth inning. Laura Eichenold started things with a double. Following a walk to Jo Jablonski and a passed ball, Schobert singled home both runners to give the Warhawks a 2-1 lead.
Fadness had two of UW-Oshkosh's five hits in the contest, while Eichenold marked two of UW-Whitewater's six.
Jill Vondrak took the pitching loss for UW-Oshkosh. She threw all seven innings and totaled three strikeouts. Kelynn Sporer struck out six during her complete-game performance. The run allowed by Sporer was unearned.
The second game was a definite contrast to the first. The teams combined for 28 hits and 25 runs, with most of the numbers compiled during the first three innings.
UW-Oshkosh scored four runs in the top of the first, including two on Lexi Wagner's double and two more on Kassie Krueger's single. UW-Whitewater matched those runs in the bottom of the frame with the help of five hits. The Warhawks tied the score on Jablonski's two-run double.
The Titans took a 5-4 lead on a run-scoring single by Fadness in the second inning. The Warhawks then used a two-out, three-run homer by Amy Ricci during their second at-bat to take a 7-5 advantage.
The third inning consisted of four runs on three hits for UW-Oshkosh and five runs on three hits for UW-Whitewater.
UW-Oshkosh scored in the third inning on a steal of home by Krueger, a wild pitch, a single by Katie Koepsel and a UW-Whitewater throwing error.
UW-Whitewater produced its five runs in the third frame on two long balls, a three-run blast by Samie Seamon and a two-run smash by Morgan Krisch. The home run was Krisch's ninth of the season.
The Warhawks scored once in each of the fourth and fifth innings to take a 14-9 lead. UW-Whitewater tallied on singles by Schobert in the fifth inning and Paige Evangelista in the sixth.
UW-Oshkosh closed the scoring with solo home runs by Krueger in the sixth inning and Koepsel in the seventh. It was the first career homer for Krueger, while she also marked her 50th RBI.
UW-Oshkosh's 12 hits included four by Kassie Krueger, three by Fadness and two from both Koepsel and Hayden Krueger.
Six Warhawks recorded multiple hits. Evangelista and Schobert both had three, while Eichenold, Krisch, Seamon and Mimi Ramirez tallied two each.
Vondrak, the second of three Titan pitchers, took the loss after yielding six runs and four hits during 1.1 innings. Sara Brunlieb started and allowed seven runs on seven hits over 2.1 frames.
Stephanie Waller earned the win, pitching 3.2 innings with three runs (one earned) and six hits. Becka Houda threw the first 2.1 innings and surrendered seven runs on five hits.
UW-Oshkosh's doubleheader scheduled for Thursday (April 24) against UW-Stout was postponed for rain. The teams will make up their twin bill early next week.
The Titans are scheduled to play Saturday (April 25) at UW-Eau Claire. UW-Oshkosh will return to YP.com Park on Sunday (April 26) to host UW-Superior at noon.