RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Junior
Paige Allen (South Elgin, IL/South Elgin) hit three home runs on Saturday, but the UW-Stevens Point softball team (8-14, 1-3) dropped both games of the twin bill at UW-River Falls (8-13, 2-2). In game one, the Pointers fell, 9-8. UWSP let the lead slip away in game two in a 6-4 eight-inning loss.
Allen had four hits on the day, including the three homers. She also doubled with five RBI over the two games. Allen scored twice in each game for UWSP.
Katie Uhlenbrauck (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) had three hits and drove in a run in game one. Freshman
Ashley Cohen (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) and sophomore
Jen Jacobson (Bolingbrook, IL/Bolingbrook) had three hits apiece on the day. Cohen had a RBI and run scored.
Game 1 – UWSP 8, UWRF 9
Morgan Johnson (Combined Locks, WI/Kaukauna) and Allen each drew a walk in the first inning. A single by Jacobson loaded the bases. Cohen drew a free pass and picked up a RBI with two down to give UWSP a 1-0 lead.
UWRF scored twice in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 edge. Two walks and a Pointers' error contributed to the inning as the Falcons got just one hit.
Johnson singled with two down in the second.
Alyssa Cooper (Little Suamico, WI/Bay Port) followed with her first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left-center as UWSP regained the lead, 3-2.
Jacobson walked to begin the third. Singles by Uhlenbrauck and Cohen loaded the bases.
Paige Kitzing (Mount Pleasant, WI/J.I. Case) drew a walk to up the lead to 4-2.
The Falcons plated four runs in the bottom of the inning on four hits, including a two-run home run.
The seesaw battle continued as Johnson drew a walk to start the fourth. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cooper. Allen doubled to pull UWSP within one. Two batters later, Uhlenbrauck doubled to knot the game at 6-6.
A walk and three hits allowed the host Falcons to take a 9-6 lead in the fifth.
Allen homered with one away in the sixth, her fifth dinger of the year. Jacobson was hit by a pitch and stole second. Pinch runner
Sydney Opdahl (Greenfield, WI/Whitnall) moved to third on a Uhlenbrauck single.
Amelia Heup (Milwaukee, WI/Lutheran) singled to score Opdahl.
Neither team was able to muster another run the rest of the way as UWRF held on for the 9-8 win.
Game 2 – UWSP 4, UWRF 6 (8 inn.)
Cohen doubled to start the UWSP second inning. Kitzing moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt and the Pointers took the lead on a sac fly by
Payton Mix (New London, WI/New London).
Cooper singled with one away in the third. Allen followed with her sixth home run of the year, a two-run blast, to put the Pointers up, 3-0. The long ball extended Allen's hitting streak to nine games.
Allen homered again in the fifth as the Pointers were ahead 4-0. Starting pitcher
Maddie Durie (Appleton, WI/East) reached the seventh with a shutout intact, but her luck would run out in the seventh.
A leadoff home run started the UWRF comeback in the bottom of the seventh. A two-out walk and three-straight hits tied the game at 4-4 and sent the game to extras.
Following a scoreless top of the eighth, a double and a walk-off home run gave UWRF the sweep.
The Pointers head to UW-Stout on Sunday for an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader against the Blue Devils
