Titans Catch Muskies Twice
The UW-Oshkosh softball team produced one of the best offensive performances in program history during the opener and came from behind to win the second game to sweep a doubleheader at Lakeland University on Thursday (March 25).
UW-Oshkosh (6-2) recorded 21 hits on the way to routing the Muskies, 19-4 in six innings, during the first game before securing a 7-4 comeback victory in the nightcap.
The Titans' 21 hits in the first game are the third most in school history while their 19 runs tied for the fourth best scoring effort since the program debuted 1971. UW-Oshkosh recorded its most runs since a 22-0, five-inning thrashing over Edgewood College on Feb. 24, 2017, and its most hits since collecting 23 in a 16-8, six-inning win against Wartburg College (Iowa) on April 1, 2012.
UW-Oshkosh previously established a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record with 30 hits and set the program mark with 31 runs during a 31-1, five-inning rout against UW-Superior on April 16, 2008. The Titans also scored 19 runs in a victory over UW-Platteville in 2010 and 23 runs – the second most in program history – during a triumph over Mount Saint Clare College (Iowa) in 2001.
The Titans finished Thursday's two games with a .419 batting average, going a combined 31-for-74 at the plate.
In the explosive opening game of the day, UW-Oshkosh scored four runs in the top of the first inning, two runs during the second frame, three in the third, two more during the fourth and eight in the sixth as 12 different Titans crossed the plate and 10 UW-Oshkosh players drove in runs.
Natalie Dudek, Ana Iliopoulos and Amanda Mc Ilhany each went 3-for-5 while Sidney Budzinski had a pair of hits, scored twice and a recorded a team-leading four runs batted in. Mc Ilhany drove in three runs and scored twice, Dudek had two runs and two RBIs, and Iliopoulos scored four times and drove in one.
Also adding a pair of hits for the Titans were Emily Cliver, Kailee Garstecki, Chloe Lambie and Hannah Ritter. Cliver and Katie Fontanetta both plated a pair of runs.
Budzinski's single with one out in the second inning scored Fontanetta for what proved to be the winning run and a 5-3 lead at the time. Budzinski, whose prior career high was three RBIs, later blasted a three-run double to center field that extended the Titans' advantage to 13-4 during the sixth-inning outburst.
UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Maddie Fink was the beneficiary of the tremendous run support, improving her season record to 3-1 after tossing all six innings. Fink allowed three earned runs on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
Lakeland University starting pitcher Marissa Varela (0-1) was charged with the loss, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits across two innings.
Each of the Muskies' five hits – by five different players – were all singles.
In the second contest, Lakeland University took its first lead of the day at 4-2 after a three-run fourth inning. However, the Titans answered with four runs in the top of the fifth frame and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.
With UW-Oshkosh trailing, 4-3, with two outs and the bases loaded in the decisive fifth inning, Garstecki floated a game-winning single to center field that scored both Acacia Tupa with the tying run and Ritter with the go-ahead tally. Dudek also came around to score on the play following a throwing error on the Muskies center fielder to up the lead to 6-4.
Lakeland University had two runners aboard and the tying run at the plate with two outs in the home half of the sixth inning, but Fontanetta, the Titans left fielder, dove and snared a sinking line drive off the bat of Hannah Hornsby, the Muskies cleanup hitter, to preserve UW-Oshkosh's 7-4 lead.
Dudek, Garstecki and Tupa each went 2-for-4 for the Titans. Mc Ilhany and Tupa scored two runs apiece while Garstecki drove in a career-best three runs. Cliver, Ritter and Tupa each chipped in an RBI during the nightcap.
UW-Oshkosh starting pitcher Mia Crotty (3-1) earned the win, scattering seven hits and five walks while holding Lakeland University scoreless over the final three innings. Crotty went the distance, striking out four and stranding nine Muskie baserunners.
Hannah Nelson had two hits to pace Lakeland University (0-8).
Muskies starting pitcher Leah Binsfield (0-3) suffered the complete-game loss despite yielding just three earned runs as Lakeland University committed three crucial errors. She gave up 10 hits and recorded two strikeouts.
UW-Oshkosh travels to Mequon for a doubleheader Friday (March 26) at Concordia University Wisconsin.