Titans Fall to Eagles in Opening Round of WIAC Tournament
WHITEWATER, Wis.—The nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh Titans softball squad (33-6) fell in their opening round game of the 2023 WIAC Tournament to the Eagles of UW-La Crosse (26-13). The Eagles defeated the Titans in a game that required extra innings, winning 9-5.
The Titans and Eagles had met in the first round of the tournament seven prior times.
Game Recap
The Titans bats were hot in the first inning with four runs off of five hits. Abby Garceau led off with a double to right-center field before being joined on base by Hannah Ritter. Garceau scored the first run of the day on Sophie Wery's RBI single. After a pair of fly outs, Brianna Davis singled to left-center field to drive home Ritter and Wery. Haylie Wittman singled up the middle as Davis scored the fourth run of the game for the Titans.
The Eagles would score five unanswered runs in the game, including two home runs to take a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning. Gabby Buikema scored on Cali Divito's single up the middle to tie the game at five in the bottom of the seventh.
The Eagles scored four runs on five hits in the ninth inning, mirroring the Titans opening inning.
Starting in the pitcher's circle for the Titans, Maddie Fink pitched four innings and recorded two strikeouts. Sydney Nemetz (14-3) pitched 4.2 innings and struck out four batters, while allowing 10 hits and seven runs.
Garceau and Buikema both went three-for-five at the plate and were two of four Titans to have multi-hit games.
Tournament Schedule and Opening Day Recap
The Titans will take on the Pioneers of UW-Platteville at 11:30 a.m. on May 12 in the WIAC tournament. This will be the 14th meeting between the Pioneers and the Titans in the tournament since the 1985 season and first since the 2021 season. The Titans swept the Pioneers in the last weekend of the regular season, including their 12th shutout of the season.
The Pioneers defeated UW-Stevens Point in the opening game of the tournament 1-0. The Eagles defeated the Blugolds of UW-Eau Claire, 6-2. The UW-Whitewater Warhawks, who serve as the tournament host, defeated the Pioneers 3-0.
There will be four games tomorrow at the van Steenderen Softball Complex on the campus of UW-Whitewater. Whitewater will take on La Crosse at 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. The final game of the day will be between the winners of Stevens Point vs Eau Claire and Platteville vs Oshkosh at 4:30 p.m.
Titan Notes
The Titans moved up one spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, landing at No. 21 this week after going 3-1 in competition last week.
Peeking at the record book, Ritter is four hits away from having tying for the most hits in school history and sits at 192 hits.