CLERMONT, Fla. – Sophomore Abby Van Beek (Mayville, Wis./Mayville) was spectacular in the circle earning both wins as the UW-Stevens Point softball team (12-4) beat Kalamazoo (8-4) by a 10-9 score and Chicago (6-6) by a 3-1 final.
 
Van Beek pitched 12.0 innings over the two games, including a complete game versus Chicago. She struck out 12 and gave up just one earned run.
 
Maddie Candre (St. Charles, Ill./East) had three hits in each game for the Pointers. She had an RBI and scored three runs on the day. Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) and Rachel Baker (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton Community) had three hits apiece on the day. Klicker scored twice with an RBI. Baker had an RBI and a run scored.
 
Sara Traxel (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) and Becca Geiyer (Grayslake, Ill./Warren Township) had three RBI and a run scored each. Meg Lawrence (Antioch, Ill./Antioch Community) drove in a run in each game.
 
Game 1: UWSP 10, Kalamazoo 9
Offenses were clicking early for both teams. Kalamazoo put up five in the top of the first.
 
In the bottom of the first, UWSP struck back. Candre was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double off the wall by Klicker. Traxel reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Geiyer followed with a sac fly to get UWSP on the board. Lawrence drove in a run with a groundout as the Pointers made it 5-2.
 
The Hornets put up four more runs in the top of the second and UWSP faced a 9-2 deficit.
 
Unfazed, the Pointers responded with five in the bottom of the second. Allie Meyers (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) reached on an error with one down. Emmie Cibrario (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) singled to put runners on the corners. Candre followed with an RBI single and Klicker reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Traxel cleared them with a three-run double to right-center. Geiyer followed with a single to plate Traxel to make it 9-7.
 
Van Beek entered to pitch the third and the Kalamazoo offense screeched to a halt. She struck out two of the three batters in the third and UWSP took back over on offense.
 
Jenna Eilers (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) singled to begin the third. Baker also singled putting runners at the corners. A wild pitch scored the first run of the frame. With one away, Cibrario hit a single to plate Baker and tie the game. Consecutive singles by Candre and Klicker pushed Cibrario home for the UWSP lead at 10-9.
 
Neither team scored the rest of the way as Van Beek scattered two hits over 5.0 innings of relief for the win.
 
Game 2: UWSP 3, Chicago 1
The Pointers got a runner aboard in each of the first four innings, but were unable to break the scoreless tie. Chicago did in the bottom of the fourth piecing two hits together to plate a run.
 
In the sixth, Candre led off with a single. Two batters later, Traxel doubled to put two in scoring position. Geiyer reached on a fielder's choice as Candre beat the throw to the plate to tie the game at 1-1. Lawrence followed with a sac fly to put UWSP ahead. Baker continued the inning with an RBI single as the Pointers took a 3-1 lead.
 
Van Beek gave up just one hit the rest of the way as she tossed a complete game for the win. She struck out six while scattering five hits.
 
The Pointers will enjoy an off day before facing Elmhurst and Luther on Thursday (March 24). First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 and 4:15 p.m. ET.