Nationally Ranked UW-Whitewater Sweeps UW-L

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Whitewater, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse softball team fell 4-0 and 6-4 at 14th-ranked UW-Whitewater Tuesday afternoon at van Steenderen Field. The Eagles drop to 21-9 overall and 6-4 in the WIAC while the Warhawks improve to 23-3 overall and 10-0 in the league.

In the opener, Jessica Stang pitched a complete-game six-hit shutout as UW-Whitewater snapped UW-L's five-game winning streak. Stang walked one batter and finished with eight strikeouts.

The Warhawks took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third as Lauren Cruz had a two-run double and Amanda LeBeau RBI single. UW-Whitewater added a run in the bottom of the sixth on Kate McDonnell's solo home run.

Heather Schultz suffered the loss for UW-L, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and two walks while striking out two. Rachel Croak and Jenna Ahnen both finished 2-for-3 for the Eagles while Katie Keyes and Katie Pietrowiak each went 1-for-3.

In the nightcap, UW-Whitewater scored solo runs in the bottom of the first and second to lead 2-0. Cruz had an RBI single in the first inning while Liz Yucuis hit a solo home run in the second. UW-L scored its first run of the day in the top of the third to make it 2-1 as Keyes hit a run-scoring single to knock in Croak.

The Warhawks scored twice in the bottom of the inning on a two-run home run from Cruz, but the Eagles tied the contest at 4-4 with three runs in the top of the fourth. Kelsey Golackson scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2 and Rachel Weyer and Ahnen both had RBI on fielder's choices to tie it. UW-Whitewater took a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning on Yucuis' second home run of the game, a two-run hit also scoring Lauren Rankins.

Stang (12-1) picked up the victory in game two, pitching 4.0 innings in relief. She allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five.

Schultz (9-6) took the loss, going 3.0 innings, allowing two hits, two runs and one walk with two strikeouts. Kaylyn Von Glahn started for UW-L, pitching 3.0 innings, allowing five hits, four runs and one walk with one strikeout.

Pietrowiak was 2-for-2 with a run scored in the nightcap while Croak finished 2-for-3 with a run.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, April 18 hosting UW-Stout at 2 p.m. at North Campus Field.