Nationally Ranked Blugolds Execute Late To Sweep Titans

All the scoring came after the fourth inning as UW-Eau Claire took a pair of women's softball games against UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (April 23) at YP.com Softball Park.

Emma Wishau struck out five in a complete-game shutout as the Blugolds won the opener, 2-0. UW-Eau Claire (23-7/6-2 WIAC), ranked 25th in the NCAA Division III by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, used two final-frame runs to capture the nightcap by a 4-2 tally.

The Titans' (18-10/3-5 WIAC) best chance to score in the first contest came during the fourth inning. Jamie Braden (Sr. • Lake Villa, Ill.) and Tess Fadness (Fr. • Eau Claire) each singled, but UW-Oshkosh left the bases loaded. The only other hit came on a Sydnee Wyss (Sr. • Monroe) single in the fifth inning.

Jess Freagon led off the top of the fifth with a single and scored on Brittany Bergquist's infield hit. The Blugolds tacked on another run in the seventh frame when Freagon launched a solo homer to right field.

The loss went to Courtney Wautier (So. • Brussels), who tossed all seven innings and allowed two earned runs. UW-Oshkosh's quality pitching continued in the nightcap, as Tatum Schultz (So. • Oshkosh) threw five shutout frames to open the game.

The Titans got on the scoreboard after Kaelyn Hogan (So. • Greendale) singled to begin the fifth. She touched home on a single by Wyss. Braden then flied out, with Marti Meyer (Jr. • Verona) tagging up to take a 2-0 lead.

UW-Eau Claire responded in the next at-bat with a two-run single from Sara Baumgartner to tie the score. Bergquist kept the momentum on the Blugolds' side with a homer to start the seventh, while Emily Muller added a RBI groundout to make it 4-2.

Julia Burns (Jr. • Verona) singled home a run with one out in the seventh to pull the Titans closer. Unfortunately, Michelle Zick (Fr. • Rosholt) was thrown out at the plate trying to equal the score. UW-Oshkosh, which got eight hits from eight different batters, grounded out to end the contest.

The Blugolds also totaled eight hits, with three coming off the bat of Aleisha Harper. After Lauren Carlson tossed 4.1 innings of two-run ball, Ashley Meinen (win) yielded just one unearned run over 2.1 frames. Emily Ruegemer recorded the final out for a save.

Schultz was charged with one ER in her 5.1 innings before Elizabeth Greatens (Fr. • Green Bay) surrendered two runs for the loss. Wautier came in and fired a scoreless final frame.