Titans, Blugolds Take One Game Apiece

Hayden Krueger homered for the fourth straight game as the UW-Oshkosh softball team split a pair of games with UW-Eau Claire at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.

The Titans (17-7, 3-1 WIAC) won the first game, 4-2, before the Blugolds (14-12, 5-1 WIAC) snapped UW-Oshkosh's 10-game winning streak with a 9-0 victory in the second contest.

UW-Oshkosh, which has won 13 of its last 15 games, suffered its first defeat since a 6-4 setback in eight innings to Middlebury College (Vt.) on March 26 in Clermont, Fla.

In the first game, UW-Oshkosh took the lead on an unearned run in the first inning and never trailed.

Erika Berry and Krueger hit solo home runs in the third inning, and Titan starting pitcher Sara Brunlieb (11-2) won her ninth straight decision.

With one out in the third inning, Berry became the 10th Titan to hit a homer this season, and Krueger went deep for the fourth consecutive game with her solo shot with two outs later in the frame.

Brunlieb walked the first UW-Eau Claire batter of the game before settling in to retire the next nine Blugolds, who registered their first hit with one out in the fourth inning.

UW-Eau Claire cut its deficit to 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, but the Titans responded in the home half of the frame on Krueger's two-out, run-scoring single.

The Blugolds pulled within 4-2 in the seventh inning on a two-out double by Taylor Pierce, but Brunlieb struck out the next batter to end the contest.

Brunlieb yielded just four hits and two runs while striking out six batters in seven innings pitched.

Krueger went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and one stolen base to lead the Titans.

UW-Eau Claire starting pitcher Zana Lorbetske (6-3) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in 2.2 innings.

Pierce had two of Blugolds' four hits and both of her team's runs batted in.

In the second game, UW-Eau Claire recorded 14 hits and received a two-hit shutout by starting pitcher Lauren Blasczyk.

UW-Eau Claire's Amanda Fischer and Pierce both went 3-for-5 with a home run. Fischer had team highs of three runs and three runs batted in, while Pierce added one run, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Blasczyk (4-6) had a career-high eight strikeouts in recording her second straight and third overall shutout this season.

The Blugolds scored two runs in the first inning, four in the second, one in the fourth and two in the seventh.

Pierce's two-run homer – her second of the season – gave UW-Eau Claire a 5-0 advantage in the second inning. Fischer's seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot, capped the scoring in the seventh inning.

Starting pitcher Clare Robbe (6-5) took the loss for UW-Oshkosh, allowing seven runs (four earned) in six innings.

Katie Koepsel first-inning single and Emily Mallek's fourth-inning double were the Titans' lone hits of the game.

The Titans remain at home to host UW-Superior on Sunday (April 12) at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.