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Erika Berry had a team-leading eight assists during the Titans' sweep over the Eagles.
Erika Berry had a team-leading eight assists during the Titans' sweep over the Eagles.

Titans Sweep Eagles To Earn WIAC Second-Place Finish

Box Score Box Score

Claire Petrus drove in a pair of runs during the opener and earned a complete game victory in the pitcher's circle during the nightcap as the UW-Oshkosh softball team clinched second place in the WIAC standings by sweeping a doubleheader against UW-La Crosse in the regular season finale Tuesday (May 1) at the UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.

UW-Oshkosh (23-10, 10-4 WIAC), which needed at least one win over UW-La Crosse to secure the second seed at the five-team WIAC Championship, hung on for a 4-3 victory in the first game and came back for a 4-2 triumph during the second contest.

Nine different Titans contributed hits on the day as UW-Oshkosh reached 10 league wins for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

The second-seeded Titans play third-seeded UW-Stout in the first round of the WIAC Championship on Friday (May 4) in Whitewater.

UW-La Crosse (18-18, 5-9 WIAC) finished seventh in the league standings.

In Tuesday's opener, UW-Oshkosh was limited to one hit through three innings until taking the lead for good at 3-1 with a three-run fourth frame. Trailing 4-1 heading into the seventh inning, UW-La Crosse scored twice in the final frame and had the go-ahead runs on base with one out before a groundout and a lineout concluded the game.

Petrus gave UW-Oshkosh a 2-1 advantage with a two-run double with one out in the fourth inning. Amanda McIlhany then plated Petrus with a two-out single. Nine of Petrus' 10 hits this year have been for extra bases.

The Titans added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Brianna Witter drove in Natalie Dillon with the eventual game-winning run on a two-out single.

The first three UW-La Crosse batters reached base in the top of the seventh inning on a pair of singles and an infield error. After a popup for the first out, Brittany Baldwin singled to pull the Eagles within 4-3. However, UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Bailey Smaney got the final two outs on the way to her sixth complete-game win of the year.

Smaney (9-2), who has won each of her last seven starts, allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits while issuing two walks, notching a pair of strikeouts and lowering her team-best earned run average to 2.64.

Baldwin went 3-for-3 with one walk, one run scored and one run batted in to lead the Eagles.

Eagles starting pitcher Caitlyn Hughes (7-10) was charged with the loss, yielding three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings.

During the nightcap, UW-Oshkosh erased a 2-0 deficit with a four-run sixth inning. Abby Menting sparked the late rally by getting hit by a pitch the lead off the frame. A single from Witter and a wild pitch moved two runners into scoring position for Natalie Dudek, who lifted a sacrifice fly to score the Titans' first run.

A subsequent throwing error allowed UW-Oshkosh to tie the score at 2, and Kailee Garstecki delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI double for a 3-2 advantage. Acacia Tupa capped the scoring with a single that plated Garstecki with the Titans' third unearned run of the inning.

UW-La Crosse built its 2-0 lead on a run-scoring single from Haley Radewan in the fourth inning and a leadoff home run by Allison Oster during the sixth frame. Radewan's hit was the first allowed by Petrus.

Petrus (12-7) held the Eagles to a mere four hits en route to her 11th complete game of the season. Petrus, who leads the Titans in wins and complete games, walked two and struck out three.

Garstecki and Tupa both reached base in all three of their plate appearances. Garstecki went 3-for-3 while Tupa singled and drew a pair of walks. Garstecki's three hits were a season high. Titan batters combined for only one strikeout in 58 plate appearances Tuesday.

Eagles relief pitcher Katie Klein (4-3) suffered the loss, surrendering four runs (one earned) on three hits in 1.1 inning.

UW-La Crosse starting pitcher Maddie Muelken and reliever Sydne Shattuck combined for 4.2 scoreless innings.

The season-ending doubleheader concluded a string of eight games in four days for the Titans. Due to weather postponements, UW-Oshkosh completed its entire 14-game WIAC schedule in 11 days.