Titans Sweep Sabres With Little Trouble
Haley Bayreuther and Abby Menting both hit a pair of home runs as the UW-Oshkosh softball team cruised to a doubleheader sweep of Marian University on Tuesday (April 26) in Fond du Lac.
UW-Oshkosh (23-7) won the first game, 5-0, behind a two-hitter by Sara Brunlieb and two home runs and four runs batted in from Bayreuther. The Titans secured the sweep with an 11-1, five-inning victory in the nightcap as Menting hit a grand slam and drove in five runs.
Bayreuther ended the two games with one double, two home runs and five runs batted in while Menting went 4-for-6 with six runs batted in.
In the first game, Bayreuther led off the contest with a home run and Brunlieb faced just two batters over the minimum.
Menting added a two-out, solo home run in the third inning while Bayreuther launched a three-run shot in the sixth. Elizabeth Fonk singled and Brianna Witter reached on a fielder's choice ahead of Bayreuther's third homer of the year.
Brunlieb retired the Sabres in order during the first, third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
After working around a leadoff single to Tana Vanden Heuvel in the second inning, Brunlieb recorded 12 straight outs until a single by Tiffani Castillo opened the seventh frame. She preserved her fourth shutout of the season and the ninth of her career by setting down the next three batters, including one on a strikeout to end the game.
Brunlieb improved her record to 12-4 and lowered her earned run average to 1.11 on the season.
Hayden Krueger added two of UW-Oshkosh's 11 hits. Krueger and Lauren Torborg contributed doubles.
Shannon Huray suffered the complete-game loss for Marian University. She struck out two and walked two.
In the second contest, UW-Oshkosh scored one run in the first and fourth innings, seven in the second frame and two in the third.
Clare Robbe (6-1), who set down the final seven Sabres in order, earned the complete-game win for the Titans, allowing an unearned run on just three hits with two strikeouts.
UW-Oshkosh backed up Robbe's pitching gem with 13 hits, including four for extra bases.
Menting gave the Titans a 1-0 lead with a two-out, run-scoring single in the first inning before UW-Oshkosh exploded for seven runs on six hits in the second.
Paige Giese and Robbe sparked the decisive frame with singles. Three consecutive one-out walks by Tanya Hammitt, Bayreuther and Krueger scored two runs. Marian University recorded the second out of the inning at home before Menting launched a grand slam to center field.
Caitlin Hoerning followed Menting's sixth home run of the season with a double, and Giese singled to score Hoerning for an 8-0 lead. Giese and Robbe both singled twice in the inning as the Titans sent 12 batters to the plate in the second frame.
UW-Oshkosh extended its lead to 10-0 in the third inning on run-scoring singles by Krueger and Giese.
Marian University (20-16) scored its only run of the doubleheader in unearned fashion. Lindsey Strainis reached via an error with one out in the third inning and came in to score on a two-out single by Emily Gorges.
UW-Oshkosh capped the scoring in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Witter that scored Erika Berry.
Giese ended the game 3-for-3 while Bayreuther and Hammitt added doubles.
Gorges suffered the loss for Marian University after ceding 10 runs (eight earned) on 11 hits in three innings pitched. She struck out two and issued three walks.
UW-Oshkosh was expected to travel to UW-Platteville for a doubleheader on Wednesday (April 27), but those games have been postponed until Friday (April 29).