Titans Split With Warhawks In Nationally Ranked Battle
WHITEWATER, Wis.- The UW-Oshkosh softball team won the first game and lost the second in a doubleheader at UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (April 17).
The No. 20 ranked Titans' (25-1, 3-1 WIAC) conference record winning streak came to an end in game two on a 2-run walk off double by the No. 23 Warhawks (17-5, 2-2 WIAC).
All nine Titans recorded a hit in game one as UW-Oshkosh turned in a 13-2 5-inning victory to open the series. Sydney Nemetz (Jr. • Marinette) improved her record to 11-0 this season in the circle with 5.0 innings pitched, fanning eight batters while allowing two runs on five hits and four walks.
Oshkosh struck first in the top of the first inning on an RBI double from Sophie Wery (Jr. • Seymour) that sent Abby Garceau (Jr. • Michicot) home. Haylie Wittman (So. • Kaukauna) and Sydney Rau (Sr. • Downers Grove) reached base on a walk and a single respectively to load up the bases in the following two at-bats. Morgan Miller (So. • Schaumburg, Ill.) then doubled down the left field line, scoring Wery and Wittman. Morgan Rau (Sr. • Downers Grove) gave the Titans a 5-0 edge with a single through the right side that Sydney Rau scored on.
The Warhawks scored a run on a bases loaded single to Nemetz in the bottom half of the first inning.
The game was scoreless until the fifth inning. Wittman and Sydney Rau each singled to lead off the inning and scored when Morgan Rau homered to left center. Cali Divito (Jr. • Inverness, Ill.) doubled and added another Titan run when Sarah Hammerton (Fr. • Appleton) singled down the left field line and advanced to second on the throw. Additional runs were recorded in the next three at-bats on a Hannah Ritter (Sr. • Marengo, Ill.) double up the middle, a Wery reach on error and a Wittman 2-run home run to left field. The score sat at 13-1 at the end of the half inning.
Nemetz struck out the first batter she faced in the bottom of the fifth inning before allowing a walk and a double. Whitewater scored its second and final run of the game on a sacrifice fly before Nemetz struck out another batter for the third out.
The Titans scored in the first inning again when Wittman scored Garceau who hit a leadoff single.
Whitewater registered back-to-back singles to begin the second inning and scored twice on a single to left center for its first lead of the day.
Four Oshkosh runs scored in the fifth inning, both with two outs. Ritter sent Garceau and Divito across the place with a double to left field and Wery knocked a pitch over the left center field wall in consecutive at-bats. Freismuth put the Warhawks down in order in the bottom half of the inning on a pop up, a groundout and a swinging strikeout.
The Warhawks pulled the score to 5-4 in the sixth on an RBI double and fielder's choice.
Garceau hit a double to left field in the top of the seventh inning, however she was stranded when the next two Titans struck out and grounded out.
With runners on first and second with two outs, Whitewater snuck a double down the left field line, scoring two runs when the ball rolled into the corner of the fence.
Abby Freismuth (Sr. • Fond du Lac) started for Oshkosh in the second game. She struck out four batters across 6.0 innings while allowing eight hits and four runs. Brianna Bougie (Fr. • Oshkosh) came in as relief in the seventh inning and allowed two runs on three hits.
The Titans will host UW-River Falls in Oshkosh on Saturday (April 20) for an Alumni Day doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.