Titans Record Wins Over Bantams, Mules
Maddie Fink and Sydney Nemetz both registered seven strikeouts during complete game victories in the pitcher's circle as the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh softball team won a pair of games Tuesday (March 22) in Clermont, Fla.
UW-Oshkosh (9-3), ranked 18th in the NCAA Division III by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, never trailed on the way to defeating Trinity College (Conn.), 4-2, and Colby College (Maine) by a 5-1 score. Trinity (4-2) and Colby (3-4) colleges are members of the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
The Titans extended their winning streak to five games with their fourth consecutive victory in Florida behind the pitching of Fink and Nemetz, who both allowed just one earned run while combining to strike out 14 batters on the day.
UW-Oshkosh produced 16 hits Tuesday, including triples from Brianna Davis, Sydney Rau and Sophie Wery. Davis, who went 5-for-7 at the plate, is now batting a team-leading .613 this season to go along with 14 runs scored, an .871 slugging percentage and six extra-base hits.
Hannah Ritter, an NFCA Third Team All-American for the Titans a year ago, collected hits in both games Tuesday to increase her on-base streak to 43 consecutive contests and her hitting streak to 16 games. Ritter, who set a school record with 67 hits last season, is now batting .500 with a team-best 20 hits and 10 runs batted in this year.
During the triumph over Trinity College, the Titans broke open a tie game with a three-run top of the sixth inning. The Bantams pulled within 4-2 in the home half of the seventh frame, but Fink notched a strikeout to clinch the victory with the go-ahead run at the plate.
Both teams scored in the fourth inning as UW-Oshkosh claimed a 1-0 lead as Davis singled to lead off the frame and later crossed the plate on a passed ball.
With two runners in scoring position and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Fink induced a flyball to keep the score tied at 1. UW-Oshkosh then put three runs on the board during the top of the sixth inning behind three hits and a walk. Davis sparked the rally with a one-out single. Davis then stole second base and came around to score on Ritter's sharp single to center field. After Sophie Wery drew a two-out walk to put runners at first and second bases, a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance another 60 feet for Morgan Rau, who delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit through the left side to score Gabby Buikema. Wery later scored on another wild pitch to give UW-Oshkosh a 4-1 lead.
Fink pitched around a hit batter to lead off the sixth inning before allowing a leadoff double in the seventh. However, Fink limited the damage to just one run. Facing the Bantams cleanup hitter Alex Chambers with two outs and two runners aboard, Fink capped the win with a strikeout looking.
Fink (4-2), the reigning Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, held Trinity College to two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk to lower her season earned run average to 1.84. Fink has now gone the distance in all but two of her last 19 starts in the UW-Oshkosh pitcher's circle.
Davis accounted for two of UW-Oshkosh's five hits and the team's lone stolen base.
Michaela Russell went 2-for-3 to pace the Bantams, who entered the game averaging seven runs per contest.
Trinity College starting pitcher Tiffany Stowers (2-1) suffered her first loss of the year, yielding four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts across the first six innings.
In the win against Colby College, the Titans gave Nemetz all the support she needed with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Mules brought the tying run to the plate with two outs during the seventh frame before Nemetz secured the win by striking out pinch-hitter Jackie Hill and to strand the bases loaded.
Nemetz (2-0) scattered nine hits and four walks while striking out a season-best seven batters en route to her second complete game in three collegiate starts. Nemetz now sports a team-leading 1.77 earned run average with three saves and 21 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched.
UW-Oshkosh's four-run first inning featured an RBI triple from Davis that scored Abby Garceau, a Ritter RBI single that plated Davis, a Wery triple that brought home Ritter, and a Morgan Rau groundout that scored Wery.
The Titans upped their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning following a Ritter single that scored Davis, who hit a one-out double.
Nemetz lost a bid for her first career shutout with one out in the seventh inning.
Davis finished the nightcap 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and an RBI. Garceau and Ritter, who drove in two runs, both owned two of UW-Oshkosh's 11 hits.
Brenna Forbes accounted for two of the Mules' nine hits and scored the team's only run.
Colby College starting pitcher Amanda Cabral (0-1) was charged with the loss, ceding three runs on three hits without recording an out. Abby Orso held the Titans to two runs and struck out eight in six innings pitched in relief of Cabral.
UW-Oshkosh returns to the field against Augustana (Ill.) and Bates (Maine) colleges Thursday (March 24) in Clermont.
Photo by Lisa Cliver