Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
STEVENS POINT – The UW-Stevens Point softball team fell in extra innings in game one 5-2, but then came back to win game two 6-0 after Kayla Kastenmeier (Ashwaubenon/Ashwaubenon) (So.-Ashwaubenon) tied a school record with a 13 strikeout performance over St. Norbert College on Senior Day at McCarty Field.
The split drops the Pointers record to 21-7 overall, while the Green Knights are now 15-12 overall. The Pointers were honoring their six senior members today, Danielle Ashbeck (Wabeno/Wabeno) (Sr.-Wabeno), Korryn Brooks (Stevens Point/SPASH) (Sr.-Stevens Point/SPASH), Hope Krause (Mishicot/Mishicot) (Sr.-Mishicot), Chelsea McIlquham (Sun Prairie/Sun Prairie) (Sr.-Sun Prairie), Niki Schomer (Marinette/Marinette) (Sr.-Marinette), and Laura Van Abel (Kaukauna/Kaukauna) (Sr.-Kaukauna).
Hope Krause (Mishicot/Mishicot) started game one on the rubber for the Pointers as she didn't allow a hit through the first four innings and had three strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Pointers offense was unable to get anything going themselves as they only had one hit through the first four innings.
After both teams put runners at second and third with one out in the fifth and came away with nothing, St. Norbert finally capitalized in the sixth with a pair of two-out RBI singles to take a 2-0 lead. That lead didn't last long as in the bottom frame as Chelsea McIlquham (Sun Prairie/Sun Prairie) hit a two-run home run to center field to tie it up at 2-2.
After an uneventful seventh, the game went into extra innings. After a leadoff single and a walk in the top of the eighth, the Green Knights then hit a three-run home run to center to take a 5-2 lead. Stevens Point went down in order in the bottom of the eighth as the Green Knights took game one 5-2.
The Pointers managed just three hits in game one. Krause (6-4) struck out seven despite getting the loss.
It would be all Stevens Point in game two. A dropped foul ball prolonged the inning for the Pointers in the second and they capitalized. Allison Dorn (Greenville/Fox Valley Lutheran) (Jr.-Greenville/Fox Valley Lutheran) who would have been out if it wasn't for the error hit a her first collegiate home run with a two-run shot to left field.
Then with two outs in the third, Elyse Nelson (Batavia, IL/Batavia) (Fr.-Batavia, IL) hit a single to left that allowed two runs to score to give the Pointers a 4-0 lead. After Dorn doubled to leadoff the fourth, Laura Van Abel (Kaukauna/Kaukauna) hit a RBI single down the right field line to drive in Dorn and make the score 5-0. Dorn finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the Pointers at the plate. Chelsea McIlquham (Sun Prairie/Sun Prairie) hit her second home run of the day with a solo shot in the fifth to make it 6-0. It was McIlquham's seventh home run of the season after having zero her first three seasons.
Kayla Kastenmeier (Ashwaubenon/Ashwaubenon) was in cruise control for the fifth consecutive start as she won her fifth straight decision to improve to 13-2 this season. She allowed just five hits and tied a school record with 13 strikeouts for the complete game shutout. The 13 strikeout feat had been done on three previous occasions.
The Pointers will travel to Eau Claire on Saturday for a doubleheader against the Blugolds. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
