CLERMONT, Fla. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (6-5) split a pair of games as the Pointers opened their PFX Spring Games in Florida. In game one, UWSP got a 3-2 win against Kalamazoo College before a 10-2 setback to Centre College in the finale.
Sydney Opdahl (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) led the way with three hits on the day. She went 2-2 with a run scored in game one. Freshman
Tatum Tackmier (Ashwaubenon, WIs./Ashwaubenon) had a single and a run scored in each game.
Game 1 – UWSP 3, Kalamazoo 2
The Pointers got out to an early lead in the second inning after
Alyssa Cooper (Little Suamico, Wis./Bay Port) reached on an error by the third baseman to begin the inning. Following a strike out,
Averi Kanyuh (Rapid River, Wis./Rapid River) and Opdahl singled to load the bases. Cooper scored after Kurszewski singled up the middle.
Kalamazoo answered in the bottom of the third with a walk, sacrifice bunt, and a double to tie the game at one apiece.
UWSP regained the lead in the fourth after Opdahl singled and stole second. Tackmier knocked her in with a single to left and she scored on the play after an error by the third baseman.
The Hornets scored an unearned run in the sixth to pull within one.
Freshman
Anna Palicka (Lisle, Ill./Lisle) earned the win pitching 5.0 solid innings and sophomore
Ashley Cohen (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) picked up the save, closing out the final two frames.
Game 2 – UWSP 2, Centre 10
Paige Allen (South Elgin, Ill./South Elgin) began the bottom of the first with a double. Back-to-back sacrifice bunts plated Allen as
Morgan Johnson (Combined Locks, Wis./Kaukauna) put down a successful squeeze.
The lead was short-lived as the Colonels strung together four hits to score three times.
In the third, Tackmier singled to begin the frame. A sac bunt and an error put runners at the corners. Two batters later, Johnson singled to drive in a run as UWSP closed to within 3-2.
Centre pushed across three unearned runs in the fifth and scored four more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
The Pointers return to action at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday against Bowdoin College. UWSP will also play Carroll University on Friday at 2:00 p.m. ET.