CLERMONT, Fla. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (11-10) took the first two games of the day before a setback in game three on Wednesday in Florida. UWSP defeated Wellesley by a 5-1 score and Mount Mary, 12-1, in five innings before a 5-0 loss to St. Olaf closed the day's action.
Morgan Johnson (Combined Locks, Wis./Kaukauna) had three hits on the day. She drove in three runs in the opening game and scored a run versus MMU.
Lauren Luedtke (Lomira, Wis./Lomira) also recorded three hits on the day. She had a pair of RBI and a run scored against the Angels.
Senior
Paige Allen (South Elgin, Ill./South Elgin) collected a pair of hits against Wellesley with a runs scored and a RBI. She drew three walks versus Mount Mary to drive in a run and she scored twice.
Game 1 – UWSP 5, Wellesley 1
Sydney Opdahl (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) singled with one away in the second inning and stole second base. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield single by
Rachael Wakefield (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) for a 1-0 UWSP advantage. After Wakefield stole second, Allen drove her in with a single up the middle.
In the fourth, Opdahl led off with a base on balls. She advanced on a sac bunt by
Anna Palicka (Lisle, Ill./Lisle). Allen sent a single through the left side and
Payton Mix (New London, Wis./New London) drew a walk to load the bases. Johnson belted a double off the wall to clear the bases and increase the lead to 5-0.
The Blue got on the board in the sixth with a run off three hits and a stolen base.
Starting pitcher Palicka went 5.1 with seven strikeouts for the win. Reliever
Ashley Cohen (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) pitched the final 1.2 with a pair of strikeouts to pick up her third save of the year.
Game 2 – UWSP 12, Mount Mary 1 (5 inn.)
Allen started the bottom of the first with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt. Johnson singled and
Alyssa Cooper (Little Suamico, Wis./Bay Port) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Luedtke followed with a two-run single to open the flood gates.
Averi Kanyuh (Rapid River, Wis./Rapid River) drove in a run on a bunt single and Opdahl plated a run on a successful squeeze. Cohen singled to load the bases and Wakefield earned an RBI with a hit-by-pitch. With two away, Mix singled and three runs came home on the play thanks to a MMU error in the outfield. UWSP sent 12 batters to the plate in the first and led 8-0 after one.
In the third,
Maddie Durie (Appleton, Wis./East) drew a one-out walk. Wakefield reached on an error and Allen drew a walk to load the bases. Mix singled to center to plate one run.
Tatum Tackmier (Ashwaubenon, WIs./Ashwaubenon) drove in another with a single to right. Freshman
Sophie Lee (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) picked up her first career RBI with a run-scoring ground out to increase the advantage to 11-0.
Freshman
Natalie Coash (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) began the fourth with a walk. She was replaced at first by
Alyssa Ahumada (Mishicot, Wis./Mishicot) on a fielder's choice.
Amelia Heup (Brookfield, Wis./Milwaukee Lutheran) singled to center and Wakefield drew a walk to load the bases. Allen drew her third walk of the game to push home the 12th and final run of the game.
Mount Mary made an attempt to get on the board in the fifth. A leadoff triple came across on a single for the only Angels' run as reliever Heup escaped a bases-loaded jam without further damage.
Game 3 – UWSP 0, St. Olaf 5
The Oles scored single runs in the first, second and third innings for a 3-0 lead. Cohen recorded an infield hit for UWSP in the third, one of two hits for the Pointers.
In the fourth, Cooper and Luedtke drew back-to-back two-out walks, but UWSP couldn't muster a run.
Opdahl led off the fifth with an infield single, but again the Pointers were held off the scoreboard.
St. Olaf turned a leadoff walk into two runs with a pair of doubles in the fifth for a 5-0 lead.
The Pointers conclude the Florida trip on Thursday with a pair of games. UWSP will face No. 20 St. Thomas at 9:00 a.m. ET and No. 8 Luther at 11:30 a.m. ET.
