Titans Clinch WIAC Tournament Berth
Courtney Wautier (Fr. • Brussels) tossed four frames in game one to earn her fifth consecutive win and lead the UW-Oshkosh softball team to a doubleheader split with UW-River Falls on Saturday (May 1) at the Oshkosh Sports Complex. The win clinched a spot for the Titans in next weekend's six-team conference tournament in Oshkosh.
The Titans (19-19/7-7 WIAC) took the first contest, 8-3, after Wautier allowed three runs on three hits in four innings. The Falcons (22-12/9-5 WIAC) used four hits and three runs batted in from Jessie Bester to take game two, 13-2.
Hayley Freimuth (So. • Combined Locks) kicked off game one with a run-scoring single in the first inning. The Titans extended their advantage to 3-0 after Lisa Hart (So. • Oshkosh) and Amie Heinzelman (Sr. • Monroe) each brought in one run during the second.
A single from Sydnee Wyss (Jr. • Monroe) led off the fourth frame for UW-Oshkosh. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt and stealing third, Wyss was brought home by Whitney Tornow (Sr. • Neenah) for a 4-0 cushion.
Sarah Fern slammed a two-run single in the top half of the fifth to get UW-River Falls in the scorebook. The Falcons cut the deficit to 4-3 after Jessie Bester singled to center field, bringing home a run.
Julia Burns (So. • Verona) and Wyss each knocked a run-scoring double in the fifth frame before Heinzelman belted a two-run home run during the sixth to preserve the victory.
Ashley Kowalewski (So. • Greenfield) entered in relief of Wautier and threw three innings while allowing no runs and three hits to earn the save. Rose Tusa took the loss for the Falcons, surrendering three runs and four hits in three frames. Nicole Osmonson threw the final three innings for UW-River Falls, giving up five runs and seven hits.
The Titans notched 11 hits in the first contest, receiving two apiece from Wyss, Heinzelman, Tornow and Burns. The Falcons had 10 hits, led by Fern with three and Bester and Hayley Buchanan with two.
UW-River Falls tallied four runs in the first inning of the nightcap on a two-run single from Fern and a home run blast to left field by Jamie Klein. The Titans marked their two runs of the contest in the bottom half with a single from Freimuth.
Patty Olson knocked in a run and later scored when Buchannan reached second on a passed ball to lead off the fourth. Ashley Goettl's two-RBI double extended the Falcons' advantage to 8-2.
A run-scoring single from Alyssa Black in the fifth gave UW-River Falls a seven-run cushion. After Fern reached first on a passed ball to score Buchannan in the top of the sixth, a three-run shot to left field from Bester rounded out the frame and created the final tally.
The win went to Klein, who allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings pitched. Brittany Duellman tossed a scoreless final frame for the Falcons.
Kowalewski took the loss for the Titans, surrendering seven runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings. Tatum Schultz (Fr. • Oshkosh) threw the final 2.1 innings, allowing six runs and six hits while striking out four.
UW-Oshkosh had seven hits in game two, led by two from Kelley Koebler (So. • Janesville). The Falcons marked 15 hits, led by four from Bester and four players with two apiece.
The Titans return to the diamond on Sunday (May 2) at the Oshkosh Sports Complex against UW-Stout.