Titans, Blue Devils Swap One-Run Contests

The UW-Oshkosh softball team split a pair of one-run games at UW-Stout on Sunday (April 19).

The Titans (23-9, 9-3 WIAC) hung on to win the opener, 5-4, and the Blue Devils (13-19, 5-7 WIAC) pulled out a 3-2 victory in the second game. UW-Oshkosh trails conference-leading UW-La Crosse (24-8, 9-1 WIAC) by two games in the loss column with four contests to play.

In the first game, UW-Oshkosh scored three runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-0 lead on run-scoring singles by Erika Berry and Hayden Krueger and a squeeze bunt by Katie Koepsel.

UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Sara Brunlieb limited UW-Stout to two hits through the first six frames, but the Blue Devils put two aboard on an error and a fielder's choice with one out in the seventh inning, and Karley Wiensch ended the shutout with a two-run single. UW-Stout added a run on a fielder's choice and pulled within 5-4 on a bases-loaded walk by Rachel Thomas.

Clare Robbe relieved Brunlieb and induced the only batter she faced to hit a fly ball with the bases loaded. Robbe collected her second save of the season while Brunlieb improved her record to 15-3 after allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits in 6.2 innings pitched. Brunlieb struck out six batters and walked four.

Krueger's RBI groundout opened the scoring in the first inning, and Berry drove in the second Titan run on a single in the second frame.

Berry led the UW-Oshkosh offense by going 2-for-3 with one run and two runs batted in.

All 10 hits in the game were singles, including six by the Titans.

Tori Workman (9-10) took the loss for the Blue Devils after yielding five runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks in seven innings pitched.

In the second game, UW-Oshkosh's Haley Bayreuther evened the score at 2 in the sixth inning with a run-scoring single, but UW-Stout answered with the deciding run in the home half of the sixth on Heather Bol's pinch-hit RBI single.

The Titans broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning on a ground ball by Bayreuther.

The Blue Devils took their first lead of the day with two runs in the fifth frame. The tying run crossed the plate on a wild pitch, which was followed by a two-out, RBI single by Nicole Rogers.

Abbey Ball (3-0) was credited with the win for UW-Stout, ceding two runs (one earned) in six innings pitched. Workman pitched a scoreless seventh frame to earn her third save of the year.

Rachel Thomas went 2-for-3 with one run for the Blue Devils.

Caitlin Hoerning had two of UW-Oshkosh's nine hits while Berry's first-inning double was the only extra-base hit of the day for either team.

Robbe (8-6) was charged with the loss, going all six innings and allowing three runs on five hits. She struck out a career-best eight batters and walked five.

UW-Oshkosh travels to UW-Stevens Point for two games on Wednesday (April 22).