DECATUR, Ill. – Junior
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) became the all-time leader in UW-Stevens Point softball history by recording her 17th career save on Saturday. The Pointers (9-1) also set a program record by drawing 13 walks against Millikin (2-4) in a 9-7 win. In the opener, UWSP got a 2-0 win over Hope (2-2).
Zygowski earned a win and the program-record save on the day tossing 6.2 innings over the two games She had three strikeouts against Hope and five more against the Big Blue.
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) had three hits on the day. She scored three times and drove in a run.
Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) had three RBI against Millikin as six different Pointers drove in a run against the Big Blue.
Game 1 – UWSP 2, Hope 0
Roberts led off the bottom of the first with a double, but was stranded at third to end the frame.
Sophia Heckendorf (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) drew a one-out walk in the third but only made it to second in the inning.
Hope broke up
Morgan Harwood's (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) perfect game with a single in the fourth. Hope got another hit in the fifth and UWSP held the shutout in both frames.
In the sixth, Heckendorf led off with a single and was replaced at first on a fielder's choice by Roberts. She promptly stole second. With two away, Thompson drew a walk. A hope fielding error allowed both runners to score for a 2-0 UWSP lead.
Hope got a walk and a single in the seventh, but Zygowski shut the door to seal the shutout.
Harwood and Zygowski struck three each in the shutout. Harwood went 4.0 and Zygowski finished with 3.0 to earn the win.
Game 2 – UWSP 9, Millikin 7
Roberts started the game with a single.
Rachel Baker (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton Community), Thompson and
Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) drew consecutive walks to push home a run.
Ella Smith (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) reached on a fielder's choice to drive in another for a 2-0 advantage.
Sophie Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union),
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) and Heckendorf coaxed three-straight walks to start the second. A wild pitch scored a run. Roberts singled again to drive home another. Baker drew another walk to load the bases. Thompson cleared the bases with a three-RBI double. With two away,
Emmie Cibrario (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) hit a double to plate a run. Schmidt singled to push Cibrario home for a 9-1 lead.
Millikin got an unearned run in the second and added another run in the third. The Big Blue got three runs on three hits in the fourth to make it 9-5.
Cibrario, Otto and Roberts all drew walks in the fifth, but the Pointers left the bases loaded. Millikin tacked on two runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame to get within 9-7.
UWSP loaded the bases again the in sixth with Thompson and Schmidt each draw a base on balls. The Pointers got two aboard in the seventh, but were unable to expand the advantage in either inning.
Millikin got a lead off single in the seventh, but Zygowski stranded the runner at third to convert the save.
The Pointers face Millikin against at 10:00 a.m. and take on DePauw at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday (Mar. 9) in Decatur.
