Titans Settle For Split With Pointers
UW-Oshkosh's Sara Brunlieb earned a complete-game win in the opener as the nationally ranked Titans and UW-Stevens Point split a softball doubleheader on Wednesday (April 26) in Stevens Point.
UW-Oshkosh won the first contest, 6-1, before UW-Stevens Point snapped a 22-game losing streak against the Titans with a 9-6, comeback win during the nightcap.
UW-Stevens Point (10-22, 2-10 WIAC) remains eighth in the league standings while UW-Oshkosh (25-9, 5-5 WIAC) stays in fourth with four conference games left. The Titans entered the day ranked 24th in the NCAA Division III by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
The Pointers' win in the second contest was their first over UW-Oshkosh since a 2-0 decision on April 26, 2006, in Oshkosh. UW-Stevens Point's triumph on Wednesday was also its first at home against the Titans since April 13, 2004.
In Wednesday's opener, Brunlieb moved into a tie for second in school history with her 55th career win.
Brunlieb (10-3), who lost her bid for a shutout by surrendering a seventh-inning run, scattered seven hits and recorded six strikeouts on the way to improving her career record to 55-18. Brunlieb moves into a tie in the UW-Oshkosh record book with Nila Gruenewald, who also won 55 games for the Titans from 1982-85.
The Titans provided Brunlieb with all the support she needed with two runs in the top of the third inning. UW-Oshkosh then tacked on three runs in the fifth inning and one more in the seventh frame.
Natalie Dudek and Abby Menting provided run-scoring singles in the third inning for the Titans while UW-Oshkosh's three-run fifth frame featured a two-out, two-run hit from Amanda McIlhany and an RBI single from Natalie Dillon. The Titans' fifth inning was aided by a two-out infield error as each of their three runs during the frame were unearned.
UW-Oshkosh took a 6-0 lead on a pinch-hit, leadoff home run by Brianna Witter in the seventh inning. Witter's first collegiate homer went to left field off Pointers relief pitcher Maddie Durie.
UW-Stevens Point avoided being shut out for the seventh time this season when Morgan Johnson lifted a sacrifice fly with one out during the seventh frame.
Menting and Emma Fionda both had two of the Titans' eight hits while Johnson accounted for two of the Pointers' seven hits.
Pointers starting pitcher Ashley Cohen was charged with the loss after yielding five runs (two earned) on seven hits across 4.2 innings of work. She struck out four and walked four.
In Wednesday's second contest, UW-Oshkosh held a 6-2 advantage until UW-Stevens Point erupted for seven runs on six hits against three Titans pitchers during the home half of the fifth frame.
The Pointers' comeback was sparked by consecutive singles by Alyssa Cooper and Paige Allen to begin the fifth inning. A subsequent run-scoring groundout allowed UW-Stevens Point to pull within 6-3 before a sacrifice fly from Payton Mix trimmed the deficit to 6-4.
UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Clare Robbe, who entered the contest at the start of the third inning, allowed a single and issued a walk before exiting in favor of Claire Petrus with two outs and the bases loaded.
Petrus hit the first batter she faced to plate the Pointers' fifth run before Johnson followed with a go-ahead, two-run double, and Cooper hit a two-run single to right field that provided the final score.
Brunlieb allowed just one hit over the final 1.1 innings, but Cohen held UW-Oshkosh to just two hits after the third inning.
UW-Oshkosh took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run by Erika Berry, a run-scoring double by Lauren Torborg and an RBI single by Caitlin Hoerning.
UW-Stevens Point pulled with 3-2 on run-scoring hits by Jen Jacobson in the first inning and Johnson in the second frame, but Menting blasted a two-run homer, and McIlhany delivered an RBI double in the third inning to increase the UW-Oshkosh lead to 6-2.
The home runs were Berry's team-leading fifth of the year and Menting's third of the season. Berry and Menting both finished the contest with two hits.
UW-Stevens Point outhit UW-Oshkosh, 13-8, during the nightcap.
Paige Allen led the Pointers with three hits while Cooper, Jacobson, Johnson and Cori Semler each added a pair of hits for UW-Stevens Point. Johnson drove in three runs, and Cooper knocked in two and scored twice.
Cohen (3-8) picked up the win in relief for the Pointers after holding UW-Oshkosh to one run on three hits and two walks across the final 4.2 innings. She relieved Durie, who allowed five runs on five hits and one walk during the first 2.1 innings.
Robbe (6-4) suffered the loss for UW-Oshkosh, surrendering five runs on six hits and one walk in 2.2 innings of work.
UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Bailey Smaney gave up two runs on four hits in two innings while Petrus yielded two runs on two hits without recording an out, and Brunlieb concluded the game by tossing 1.1 scoreless innings.
The Titans remain on the road to face UW-River Falls for a doubleheader on Saturday (April 29).