STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens point softball team (16-8, 2-4) forced extra innings in game one and split a league doubleheader with visiting UW-Eau Claire (13-15, 2-6) on Monday. UWSP fell in nine innings in game one, 5-4, before taking game two by a 6-2 final.
 
Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) had two hits in each game for the Pointers. She drove in a run in game two and scored a run in each game. Maddie Candre (St. Charles, Ill./East) added three hits and scored twice in each game. She had an RBI in game two as well, the Pointers' lone home run of the day.
 
Sara Traxel (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) had three hits on the day and a run scored in each game. Hannah Roepke (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake) and Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) each had a two-hit game with two RBI apiece.
 
Addison Wythe (Stillman Valley, Ill./Stillman Valley) tossed a gem in the circle in game two. She went 6.2 scoreless until the first UWEC runs scored in game two.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 4, UWEC 5 (9 inn.)
Candre and Traxel drew back-to-back walks to begin the UWSP first. They moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but remained there as the inning ended.
 
The Blugolds got a run in the second on a solo home run. The Pointers had runners on in the second and again in the third to no avail.
 
In the fifth, UWEC got two runs on two hits. Again UWSP had a runner on the bottom of the frame without scratching a run across. The same was true in the sixth although UWSP began the ining with consecutive singles.
 
That all changed in the bottom of the seventh. Candre singled with one away. Traxel and Klicker followed with base hits to load the bases. Allie Meyers (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) hit a sac fly to get UWSP on the board. Otto then ripped a double to the wall in right-center to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Neither team scored in the eighth, but UWEC got two runs in the ninth. The Pointers got right back to work. Candre led off with a single. Traxel walked and with one out, both moved up on a wild pitch. Meyers grounded out to drive in a run, but UWSP couldn't get the tying run home in the inning.
 
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) tossed 5.0 innings in the game with four strikeouts. Makenna Tkach (Streator, Ill./Marquette Academy) struck out three in 4.0 inning of relief.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 6, UWEC 2
Candre belted the third pitch she saw over the centerfield wall to give UWSP an early 1-0 lead. Traxel and Klicker hit back-to-back singles to put runners on corners. Rachel Baker (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton Community) hit a sac fly to make it 2-0. Roepke followed with a single to push the advantage to 3-0.
 
Sophia Heckendorf (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) singled to start the second. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A UWEC error allowed the first run of the inning to score. Klicker hit an infield single with two outs to plate another for the 5-0 lead.
 
Baker singled with two down in the fifth. She stole second and scored on an infield single by Roepke to up the lead to 6-0.
 
Wythe held down the UWEC offense for 6.2 innings with three strikeouts to improve to 2-0 on the season. She scattered four hits and didn't allow a run until two outs in the seventh.
 
The Pointers travel to UW-River Falls on Wednesday (April 26) for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.