Titans Tame Lions
Sara Brunlieb and Clare Robbe both pitched shutouts as the UW-Oshkosh softball team won a pair of nonconference games over Finlandia University (Mich.) on Friday (April 10) at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.
The Titans (16-6) ran their winning streak to nine games with scores of 8-0 in the opener and 9-0 in the nightcap.
Brunlieb allowed one hit and struck out a career-high eight batters in the first game while Robbe followed with a three-hitter and tied her career high with seven punch outs. The duo didn't allow an extra-base hit or walk a batter on the day.
Brunlieb (10-2) won her 10th consecutive decision and improved her career record to 21-6 with her second shutout of the season and third of her career. Robbe (6-4) recorded the third shutout of her freshman season.
The UW-Oshkosh offense racked up nine extra-base hits during the doubleheader, including one home run in each game by Hayden Krueger and Tanya Hammitt's first collegiate homer in the opener. The Titans pounded out a total of 20 hits, stole eight bases and scored in every inning of the two contests.
In the first game, Brunlieb faced the minimum and retired the last 13 Lions she faced, including six in a row on strikeouts from the second through fourth innings.
Finlandia University's Amanda Youker singled with one out in the first inning, but Titan catcher Katie Koepsel picked off pinch runner Erin Elsner at first base to clear the bases.
The Titans went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first frame on a two-out, two-run single by Brianna Witter, who ended the game with a career-high three hits and three runs batted in.
UW-Oshkosh added single runs in the second, third and fifth innings and two in the fourth frame.
Hammitt hit a solo homer in the second inning, and Krueger added a solo home run in the third.
Taylor Loew gave the Titans a 7-0 advantage with a pinch-hit, two-run double in the fourth inning, and Witter ended the game with an RBI-single with no outs in the fifth.
UW-Oshkosh's Hayley Bayreuther went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and a stolen base for her seventh multiple-hit game of the season.
Katie Koepsel had her UW-Oshkosh record 19-game hitting streak snapped. The streak stands as the sixth longest in conference history.
Miranda Brewer (3-14) suffered the loss for the Lions, allowing eight runs (five earned) on nine hits and three walks in four innings pitched.
In the second game, Robbe yielded two hits in the first inning, but escaped unscathed by inducing a groundout and stranding runners at the corners.
Robbe preserved the shutout by pitching around an error to lead off the Finlandia University fourth inning and striking out three of the last four batters she faced. Robbe recorded 13 of her 15 outs via a groundout or strikeout.
Emily Mallek got the Titans on the board with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning.
UW-Oshkosh's Caitlin Hoerning led off the second inning with a single, stole second and third base, and scored the Titans' third run when the Finlandia University catcher's throw to third sailed into left field. Erika Berry's two-out, run-scoring single gave the Titan a 4-0 lead later in the frame.
Loew's second double of the day plated UW-Oshkosh's fifth run in the third inning.
The Titans capped the scoring with four runs in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Berry, a run-scoring double by Koepsel and a two-run homer by Krueger.
Berry, Koepsel and Krueger each had two of the Titans' 11 hits. Berry, Krueger and Mallek all added two runs batted in while Koepsel registered her 13th multiple-hit game of the season.
Nicole Dall (5-12) was charged with the loss after pitching all four innings for Finlandia University (8-26), which entered the day with a four-game winning streak.
The Titans return to conference play when they welcome UW-Eau Claire on Saturday (April 11) at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.