CLERMONT, Fla. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (1-5) picked up its first victory of the season over Becker College (1-9) on Friday, 9-6, to begin the Florida trip.  In game two, UWSP dropped an eight inning affair, 6-5, to Geneva College (4-6).
 
Sophomore Lauren Luedtke (Lomira, Wis./Lomira) hit her first home run of the season, one of three hits on the day.  She drove in four runs on the day.
 
Freshman Madi Greenaberg (Downers Grove, Ill./North) had three hits as well.  She had two run batted in in game two.  Fellow freshman Jordyn Hynst (West Bend, Wis./East) had a three hits and scored a run.
 
Rachael Wakefield (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) recorded three RBI, scored a run and had three hits over the twin bill.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 9, Becker 6
The Pointers found themselves behind early as a pair of walks and a two-out double gave Becker a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first.
 
In the bottom of the first, Maddie Candre (St. Charles, Ill./East) drew a two-out walk to start a rally.  Ashley Cohen (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) also drew a base on balls.  That brought Luedtke to the plate and she belted a three-run home run to put UWSP ahead.
 
Hynst led off the second with a single.  Pinch runner Natalie Coash (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) stole second and moved to third on a hit from Wakefield.  A Becker error allowed Coash to score, but UWSP was held to just the single tally in the frame.
 
Luedtke began the third inning with a base hit and prompted stole second.  A groundout moved her to third, but she was cut down trying to score on a fielder's choice.  The inning continued with another hit from Hynst.  Wakefield doubled to plate both runners.  Another Becker miscue allowed Wakefield to score to make it 7-2.
 
The Hawks scored a run in the fourth after a leadoff double.  In the fifth, Becker scored three times on two hits and three UWSP miscues to close the gap to 7-6.
 
 
Morgan Johnson (Combined Locks, Wis./Kaukauna) hit a double to begin the Pointers' sixth.  After a groundout moved her to third, Candre drew a walk to put runners on the corners.  Candre stole second and both runners advanced on a Becker error.  Candre came home on a failed double steal attempt to push the lead to 9-6.
 
Sophomore Anna Palicka (Lisle, Ill./Lisle) earned the win.  She started, pitch five innings and struck out six. Cohen earned the save with two hitless innings of relief.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 5, Geneva 6 (8 inn.)
Johnson was hit by a pitch to begin the game.  She moved to second on a sac bunt by Sammy Buerger (Oshkosh, Wis./North).  A Geneva error allowed Johnson to score.  Luedtke followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
The Golden Tornadoes turned a one-out walk and two hits into a three-run innings to take a 3-2 edge.
 
Erin Schmitt (Waupun, Wis./Waupun) started a two-out rally in the fourth with a single.  Freshman Halle Vardon (Algoma, Wis./Algoma) pinch ran and stole second.  Wakefield plated Vardon with a single to left as UWSP tied the game at 3-3.
 
Geneva went ahead in the sixth on a two-out, two-run double for the 5-3 lead.
 
In the seventh, UWSP rallied.  Candre and Cohen drew consecutive walks with one away.  Both moved up a base on a wild pitch.  Greenaberg came up with a clutch two-out hit to score both runners and tie the game at 5-5.
 
The Pointers failed to score in the eighth after an inning-ending line drive double play ended the threat.  Geneva got a walk-off single in the bottom of the inning for the win.
 
Haley Barnes (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) started and pitched 6.0 innings.  She struck out two.  Palicka pitched the final 1.0-plus and struck out one.
 
The Pointers face Marietta and Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday (March 16) beginning at 8:15 a.m. CT.