UW-L Sweeps Doubleheader at UW-Platteville; Schultz Throws Two-Hit Shutout

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Platteville, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse softball team improved to 19-7 overall and 4-2 in the WIAC with a doubleheader sweep of UW-Platteville Wednesday afternoon at the UWP Softball Complex. The Eagles took the opener, 4-0, and the nightcap, 9-7. The Pioneers fall to 3-17 overall and 0-6 in the conference with their two losses.

Heather Schultz

Heather Schultz (8-4) pitched a complete-game two-hit shutout in the opener as UW-L won its second straight game overall. Schultz went 7.0 innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out eight. It is her fourth complete-game shutout in 2009.

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Rachel Croak doubled with one out and then scored on a Pioneers' throwing error on Jenna Ahnen's grounder. UW-L led 2-0 in the second after Kelsey Golackson doubled with one out and scored on Katie Pietrowiak's RBI single.

It was 4-0 in the top of the third after UW-L scored a pair of unearned runs. Croak scored on a Cara Salm fielder's choice bunt for an RBI and Rebecca Brandt scored on a UW-Platteville fielding error after pinch-running for Salm .

Croak finished 2-for-4 in the opener with two runs scored while Ahnen was 2-for-4.

Renee Schultter (1-9) suffered the loss for the Pioneers, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs (one earned) with seven strikeouts.

UW-Platteville raced out to a 5-0 lead with five runs in the bottom of the second in the nightcap. UW-L had four errors in the inning leading to all five runs. Chantal McReynolds had a two-run single for the Pioneers. UW-L scored a run in the top of the third as Croak reached on an error and scored on Salm's double.

The Eagles cut the lead to 5-4 with three runs in the top of the fourth. Ahnen had an RBI single scoring Rachel Weyer and Salm finished the inning with a two-run single to knock in Croak and Ahnen. UW-L took its first lead of the contest with four runs in the top of the sixth. Ahnen had an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5 and Croak scored on Salm's fielder's choice bunt for an RBI for a 6-5 lead. Ahnen and Salm later scored on a UW-Platteville throwing error. The Pioneers cut the lead to 8-7 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on singles from McReynolds and Katie Lenz, but the Eagles' Ahnen doubled with two outs and scored on a UW-Platteville error.

Kaylyn Von Glahn (6-2) picked up the win for UW-L, going 5.1 innings in relief, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) with two strikeouts. Lacey Probst started and went 1.2 innings, allowing four hits, five runs (none earned) and one walk.

Jenna Ahnen

Ahnen was 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI while Salm finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Croak scored three times.

Courtney Ryan (2-7) took the loss for UW-Platteville, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing eight hits, six runs (five earned) and two walks with one strikeout. McReynolds, Lenz and Tera Burr each had two hits. McReynolds also finished with three RBI and two runs scored and Burr scored twice.

UW-L returns to action Friday, April 10 hosting UW-Stevens Point at 3 p.m.