Eagles' Arms Keep Titans Quiet

Lacey Probst fired a three-hitter and Lauren Beres a four-hitter as the UW-La Crosse women's softball team earned two victories over UW-Oshkosh on Friday (April 29) in La Crosse.

During the opener, Natalie Stoll snuck a ball through the infield to post a 2-1 win in the eighth inning. The second contest wasn't as dramatic, with the Eagles (25-12/11-5 WIAC) forcing the eight-run rule to take effect in the sixth frame of their 8-0 triumph.

UW-Oshkosh (20-12/5-7 WIAC) was first on the board in the opener, getting a leadoff single by Julia Burns (Jr. • Verona) in the second frame. With two outs, Hayley Freimuth (Jr. • Combined Locks) bashed a single down the right-field line for a 1-0 lead.

A Katie Fink double set up Kelsey Golackson's RBI single to tie the score during the third. The decisive extra inning began with a Fink single. The Eagles then took the contest after a sacrifice bunt and single preceded Stoll's winner.

Probst got her 12th win of the year after holding the Titans hitless in 6-of-8 frames. Freimuth obtained the only other hit against Probst, who struck out seven while walking none. The loss fell on Courtney Wautier (So. • Brussels) after she pitched 7.1 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits.

The Titans' only threat of game two was when they had two runners on base during the fourth. UW-Oshkosh then popped out twice to remain scoreless. Meanwhile, Katie Keyes notched an RBI in the opening frame when she set a school record with her 13th double of the year. UW-La Crosse stretched the lead to 3-0 on a wild pitch and Fink's single during the second.

The Eagles erased any doubt when Lauren Schaller ripped a three-run homer in the fifth inning. With two outs and a seven-run cushion during the sixth, Katie Pietrowiak recorded a single to center that ended the contest.

Beres struck out four in her six shutout innings. Tatum Schultz (So. • Oshkosh) went 5.2 innings for the Titans, allowing six earned runs on 13 hits. Keyes paced all players with three hits in the game as UW-La Crosse won its seventh in a row.

UW-Oshkosh gets right back on the diamond at UW-River Falls on Saturday (April 30).