DECATUR, Ill. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (7-1) defeated No. 22 and host Millikin (5-3) by a 5-1 score to open play at the Millikin Invite. The Pointers dropped their first game of the season in the nightcap, 7-2, against DePauw (2-7).
Abby Van Beek (Mayville, Wis./Mayville) had three hits, two RBI and a run scored against Millikin.
Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) hit safely in both games. She drove in a run and scored a run on the day.
Emmie Cibrario (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) had three hits on the day with one run scored.
Rachel Baker (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton Community),
Sophia Heckendorf (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) and
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) had two hits each in the game versus Millikin. Baker and Heckendorf each scored a run. Roberts had an RBI in the nightcap.
Game 1 – UWSP 5, Millikin 1
Klicker led off the game with a single. Roberts and
Sara Traxel (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) also singled to push home the first run. Baker made it four-straight base hits and an RBI groundout by Van Bee made it 2-0.
Heckendorf began the second with an infield single. Following a sac bunt by
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead), she scored on a Millikin miscue for a 3-0 lead.
The Big Blue got on the board in the fourth. The unearned run came on one hit and a UWSP miscue in the inning.
Doubles in the fifth by Van Beek and the seventh by Otto each drove in a run as UWSP took the game by a 5-1 final.
In the circle,
Elli Matzke (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) improved to 3-0 with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) notched her fourth save of the year with 3.0 shutout frames with six strikeouts.
Game 2 – UWSP 2, DePauw 7
DePauw broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with four runs on four hits and an error. The Tigers added three more runs in the fifth on three more hits to put UWSP in a 7-0 hole.
Otto reached on a DePauw error to start the sixth. Cibrario singled and moved into scoring position on the throw. Klicker singled to push home one run. Roberts followed with a sac fly to score another. The Pointers couldn't add any more runs and both sides were retired in order in the seventh.
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) struck out three in 4.0. She suffered the loss despite just allowing one earned run. Zygowski struck out five over 3.0 in relief.
The Pointers close out the weekend against Grinnell and DePauw on Sunday (March 10). First pitches are set for 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.
