Titans Bounce Back To Earn Split

Emily Mallek had three runs batted in and three hits in the nightcap as the UW-Oshkosh softball team split two games on Monday (March 23) in Clermont, Fla.

UW-Oshkosh (5-5) suffered a 6-1 setback to Elmhurst College (Ill.) before defeating Hamilton College (N.Y.), 7-5, in the second contest of the day.

All of the Titans' season-high 14 hits were singles in the win over Hamilton College as Maggie Balke joined Mallek with a game-high three safeties for UW-Oshkosh, while Hayden Krueger and Brianna Witter added two apiece.

UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Sara Brunlieb (3-2) earned the win by allowing five runs in four innings. She gave up five hits and two walks and struck out three.

Clare Robbe recorded her first save after pitching three hitless innings.

The Titans struck for two runs in the top of the first inning as Krueger plated one with a single and Erika Berry brought in another with a sacrifice fly, but Hamilton College took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the first frame on a one-out grand slam by Daphne Assimakopoulos.

UW-Oshkosh cut its deficit to 5-4 in the second inning on an infield single by Mallek and a sacrifice fly by Kate Koepsel.

The Titans tied the game at 5 when Haley Bayreuther was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third frame, and Mallek followed with a single that put UW-Oshkosh ahead for good.

Mallek provided an insurance run with groundout that scored Balke in the fifth inning.

Robbe pitched around two infield errors to begin her relief stint in the fifth inning and set down the last nine Hamilton College (5-7) batters in order. The Continentals were held to one hit after the second inning.

Monique St. Jarre was charged with the loss for the Continentals after allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits and four walks in four innings pitched.

In the first game of the day, UW-Oshkosh knotted the score at 1 on consecutive two-out doubles by Berry and Bayreuther in the top of the third frame, but the Titans were limited to two more baserunners for the rest of the game.

Brianna Thompson put Elmhurst College (5-2) ahead, 3-1, with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning and drove home her fourth run of the day on a double in the fifth frame to cap the scoring.

Katie Boals was credited with the win for the Bluejays after pitching the first six innings and allowing just three hits and one run.

Elmhurst College's Bella Masini went 2-for-2 at the plate with three runs, one run batted in, one walk and one stolen base.

Robbe took the loss after ceding five runs over the first four innings.

UW-Oshkosh takes on Colby College (Maine) and Kalamazoo College (Mich.) on Tuesday (March 24) in Clermont.