LA CROSSE, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (15-8, 2-2) put up its biggest offensive performance of the year in game one, but settled for a split at UW-La Crosse (8-7, 4-3) on Saturday.  The Pointers powered up for a 14-6 win in game one, but fell in game two, 5-3.
 
Sammy Buerger (Oshkosh, Wis./North) hit two home runs in game one, two of five hits on the day.  She drove in four and scored five times.
 
Maddie Candre (St. Charles, Ill./East) collected a pair of hits in each game and has picked up multiple hits in all four league games this season.  She had an RBI in each game and scored three runs.
 
Lauren Luedtke (Lomira, Wis./Lomira) also had multiple hits in both games today.  She had five total hits, including a double.  She scored four times in game one and drove in a run in game two.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 14, UWL 6
Buerger got UWSP on the board in the top of the first with a two-out solo home run.  The Eagles responded in the bottom of the frame with two runs on three hits and a pair of walks.
 
Madi Greenaberg (Downers Grove, Ill./North) began the second with an infield single and moved to second on a sac bunt.  With two down, Makenna Tkach (Streator, Ill./Marquette Academy) singled to tie the game at 2-2.  After a stolen base by Mackenzie Niespodzany (Pulaski, Wis./Pulaski), Rachael Wakefield (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) put the Pointers ahead with an RBI double.
 
Luedtke started the third with a single and stole second.  A throwing error allowed UWSP to plate a run and Sara Traxel (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) pushed the second run of the frame home on a single down the right field line.
 
After UWL put two on the board in the third, Niespodzany led off the fourth with a double.  Two batters later, Candre drove her in with a single.  Back-to-back infield singles by Luedtke and Buerger loaded the bases.  Traxel singled up the middle to score two.  Greenaberg followed with a sac fly to give UWSP a 9-4 lead.
 
The Eagles plated single runs in the fourth and the fifth to get within three at 9-6.
 
Candre started the sixth with a single.  Luedtke walked and Buerger reached on a bunt single to load the bases.  Traxel pushed home a run with a single up the middle.  Greenaberg drew a base on balls to plate another.  Megan Lawrence (Antioch, Ill./Antioch Community) then lifted a sac fly to right to make it 12-6 in favor of the Pointers.
 
In the seventh, Luedtke singled with one down.  Two batters later, Buerger belted her second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left-center.
 
Tkach picked up the victory, her 10th of the season.  She tossed 4.1 frames with five strikeouts.  MacKenzie Honish (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) struck out one in an inning of relief.  Allie Meyers (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) pitched 1.2 innings with two strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 3, UWL 5
UWSP took a lead in the first on hits by Candre and Luedtke.  The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the frame on two hits and a walk.
 
UWL took the lead in the second with three runs on two hits and an error.
 
In the fifth, Meyers reached on an error to start the inning.  Wakefield singled to put two aboard.  Candre singled to push home a run.  Another scored on a groundout by Luedtke as UWSP got within 4-3.
 
The Eagles tacked on a run in the fifth on a pair of hits, but despite a double in the sixth and the seventh, UWSP was unable to find the tying runs.
 
Meyers pitched 3.0 in the game.  Lauren Lindahl (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) tossed 2.0 with a strikeout.  Tkach struck out all three in a perfect inning of relief.
 
The Pointers kickoff a six-game homestand on Tuesday (April 20) against UW-Whitewater. First pitch at McCarty Memorial Field is set for 2:00 p.m.