UW-La Crosse 3, Carthage College (Wis.) 2
Whitewater, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team earned a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Carthage College (Wis.) Saturday morning in an elimination game at the NCAA Division III Regional at van Steenderen Field at UW-Whitewater. The Eagles improve to 38-8 on the season and will play St. Norbert College (Wis.) at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Carthage, which finishes its season at 25-15, took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Stephanie Noel singled with one out and scored as Alyssa Schrader followed with a two-run home run. Kari Peterson had a single for the Lady Reds, but UW-L's
Heather Schultz retired the next two batters to end the inning.
UW-L tallied three times in the bottom of the fifth to lead 3-2. All three runs were unearned as Carthage committed two errors.
Katie Pietrowiak got the rally started with a one-out single and was replaced by pinch-runner
Cheri Pertzborn. After
Lauren Schaller's fielder's choice forced out Pertzborn, the Eagles'
Rachel Croak reached on a Lady Reds' error. Schaller moved to third on the play.
Rachel Weyer then doubled down the left field line to knock in Schaller and Croak to tie the game at 2-2.
Jenna Ahnen followed with an infield single with Weyer going to third. The Eagles then attempted a double steal and the Carthage catcher threw the ball into center field to allow Weyer to score with the go-ahead run.
Ashley Veroeven came in to pitch the sixth and seventh innings to record her third save of the season. She pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and one walk. Schultz (24-3) earned the victory for UW-L, going 5.0 innings, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out six.
Weyer finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI while Ahnen was 2-for-3.
Krystina Leazer (11-3) suffered the loss for Carthage, pitching 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs (all unearned) with six strikeouts. Noel went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Schrader was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, May 15 against St. Norbert (Wis.) at 4 p.m.