LA CROSSE, Wis. – The No. 21 UW-Stevens Point softball team (23-7, 2-4) dropped a pair of one-run games at UW-La Crosse (18-14, 3-3) on Saturday. The Pointers fell in game one, 4-3, before dropping game two, 1-0, in nine innings.
 
Ella Smith (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) hit her first career home run on Saturday, one of her two hits in game one. Sophia Heckendorf (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) had three hits and drove in two. Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) had four hits on the day. Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) and Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) added two hits apiece.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 3, UWL 4
Smith led off the second inning with a solo home run to put UWSP ahead, 1-0.
 
The Eagles scored twice in the bottom of the frame, both unearned tallies. UWL added a run in the fourth on three hits to put UWSP behind, 3-1.
 
Sawyer Holberg (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) singled to start the sixth inning. Sophie Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union) singled with one away and a UWL error loaded the bases for the Pointers. With two down, Heckendorf singled to plate two and tie the game at 3-3.
 
UWL regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with one run on three hits. Klicker singled to begin the seventh and Roberts doubled to put two in scoring position, but UWSP was unable to get a run in the frame.
 
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) went 4.0 innings and struck out five. Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) struck out two in 2.0 innings of work.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 0, UWL 1 (9 inn.)
The Pointers got runners aboard in the first, fourth and fifth innings, but were not able to break the scoreless tie in any inning.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, UWL got three hits to push across the only run of the game.
 
Kodi Rizzo (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) struck out four in 3.1 scoreless innings. Harwood worked 5.0 innings and struck out three.
 
The Pointers host UW-Oshkosh on Tuesday (April 22) at 2:00 p.m.