WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (26-10, 5-7) came up just short on both ends of a doubleheader against No. 17 UW-Whitewater (31-5, 8-2). The Pointers dropped game one, 2-1, before suffering an 8-6 loss in game two as UWW scored six of its 10 runs on the day in the seventh innings.
Ella Smith (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) racked up five hits on the day with three RBI and two runs scored.
Jesse Klicker (Spring Grove, Ill/Richmond-Burton Community) added four hits and
Emmie Cibrario (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper) had three hits.
Game 1 – UWSP 1, UWW 2
Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) drew a four-pitch walk to start the first. She moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by Klicker. But UWSP stranded both in scoring position without a run scored.
The Pointers had runners aboard in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings to no avail and the game went to the seventh scoreless.
The Warhawks turned two hits and a walk into two runs as UWSP faced a 2-0 hole with three outs remaining.
Rachel Baker (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton Community) singled to start the bottom of the seventh. Thompson drew another walk. With two away,
Sophia Heckendorf (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) beat out an infield single as Baker raced home from second. But a fly out ended the threat as UWSP dropped game one, 2-1.
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in the start. She struck out four and gave up just one hit.
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) struck out two over the final 3.0 innings.
Game 2 – UWSP 6, UWW 8
UWW got on the board in the top of the first on a solo home run.
Smith singled to begin the bottom of the first. Thompson and Klicker hit consecutive singles as the Pointers loaded the bases with no outs. Two batters later,
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) hit a sac fly as UWSP tied the game at 1-1.
Cibrario,
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) and
Sawyer Holberg (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) hit three-straight singles to begin the second, again loading the bases with no outs. Smith cleared the bases with a double as UWSP went up, 4-1. Thompson walked and Klicker singled to push in another run. A UWW error allowed another run to score as the Pointers took a 6-1 lead.
UWW got three back in the third after a bases-clearing triple to make it 6-4. The Warhawks rallied again in the seventh with four runs on four hits as UWSP fell in game two.
Kodi Rizzo (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) pitched 3.0 innings with three strikeouts. Harwood pitched 3.0 innings in relief and added one strikeout. Zygowski tossed 1.0 frames with one strikeout.
The Pointers close out the regular season at UW-Stout on Saturday (May 3) at 1:00 p.m.
