UW-La Crosse 7, UW-Superior 3
UW-La Crosse 3, UW-Superior 0
La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team earned its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title in school history with a doubleheader sweep of UW-Superior Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Eagles won the opener, 7-3, and the nightcap, 3-0. UW-L improves to 30-6 overall and 14-0 in the WIAC while UW-Superior falls to 24-8-1 overall and 8-6 in the conference.
With their two victories Saturday, the Eagles extended their school record winning streak to 16 games. UW-L will be the top-seed for the WIAC Tournament May 7-8 at UW-Oshkosh.
In the opener Saturday,
Heather Schultz (18-2) earned the win. She went 7.0 innings, allowing six hits, three runs and one walk while striking out nine. It was her 12th complete-game of the season.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on
Cara Salm's RBI single to score
Rachel Croak. Croak opened the inning with a double and set UW-L's career hits record with 180.
UW-L added six runs in the second with the benefit of only three hits. UW-Superior committed two errors.
The Yellowjackets scored their three runs in the top of the sixth on Jen Parchem's three-run home run.
Salm finished 2-for-3 for UW-L with two RBI while Croak scored twice.
Kalli Kucharyski (12-3) suffered the loss for UW-Superior, pitching 0.2 of an inning. She allowed two hits and one run while striking out one.
Ashley Veroeven (6-1) pitched a complete-game shutout in the nightcap. She went 7.0 innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out six.
UW-L scored all three of its runs in the sixth inning on RBI singles from
Jenna Ahnen, Salm and
Natalie Stoll. Ahnen was 2-for-2 with a run scored and RBI while Croak finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Alexis Podpeskar (6-5) took the loss for UW-Superior, going 6.0 innings, allowing six hits, three runs and one walk with two strikeouts. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate.
UW-L wraps up its regular season Sunday, May 2 hosting UW-Eau Claire at noon.