UW-L Wins All Four Games to Open Season; Eagles Throw Three Shutouts

For Immediate Release: Sunday, March 1, 2009

Marquette, Mich. – The UW-La Crosse softball team opened its 2009 season with a 4-0 record at the Finlandia University Dome Tournament in Marquette, Michigan Saturday, Feb. 28 and Sunday, March 1. The Eagles threw three shutouts en route to their four victories.

UW-L opened the weekend with an 10-0 win over the University of Minnesota-Morris in five innings Feb. 28 as Heather Schultz and Kaylyn Von Glahn combined on a no-hitter. The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the first as Jenna Ahnen and Cara Salm each had an RBI single while Natalie Stoll had a two-run single. UW-L added three more runs in the second highlighted by Rachel Weyer's two-run home run. The team finished the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Salm hit a solo home run and Katie Pietrowiak had a run-scoring single.

Schultz pitched 4.0 innings to earn the win, allowing one walk while striking out seven. Von Glahn pitched 1.0 inning with a strikeout.

The Eagles then scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 5-4 win over Concordia University (Wis.) Feb. 28. The Falcons scored twice in the top of the first and third innings to lead 4-0 before the Eagles tallied two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Schultz had a sacrifice fly and Katie Keyes an RBI single. UW-L scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to improve to 2-0. Katie Pietrowiak cut the lead to 4-3 on a single and Keyes tied the game as she scored on a Concordia fielding error. Kim Pietrowiak then knocked in the game-winning run with an RBI single to give UW-L the 5-4 victory.

Schultz picked up the win, going 4.0 innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts. Lacey Probst started for the Eagles, pitching 3.0 innings, allowing five hits, four runs (three earned) and one walk while striking out one.

In action March 1, Schultz opened the day with a complete-game 2-0 victory over Marian University (Wis.). She went 7.0 innings, allowing three hits while striking out 11. The Eagles scored the only two runs of the contest in the top of the sixth as Weyer scored on a Salm groundout and Kim Pietrowiak knocked in Rachel Croak with a single.

UW-L finished the weekend with a 15-0 win in five innings over Finlandia University (Mich.). The Eagles scored twice in the first inning, three times in the second, once in the third and fourth innings and eight times in the fifth. Ahnen had a two-run triple in the second and RBI single in the fourth. Tia Teske and Beth Schmidt each had two-run singles in UW-L's fifth inning while Salm hit a three-run home run.

Von Glahn picked up the victory, going 4.0 innings, allowing one hit with four strikeouts. Probst pitched 1.0 inning with two strikeouts.

UW-L returns to action Thursday, March 5 versus St. Olaf College (Minn.) in Rosemount, Minn. at 10 a.m.