RHINELANDER, Wis. – The No. 13 UW-Stevens Point softball team (2-0) opened the 2026 season with a sweep of Carroll (0-2) in a doubleheader on Saturday. UWSP held on for a 2-1 win in game one and picked up a 9-1 run-rule victory in game two.
Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) was the only Pointer with multiple hits on the day with a single and a double in game two.
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) and
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) each hit a home run in game two.
Rachael Madsen (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford) and
Kodi Rizzo (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) each had a double in game two.
In the circle,
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) and
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) combined for 10 strikeouts in game one.
Mallorie Kreuser (Verona, Wis./Verona) and Rizzo had three strikeouts each in game two as the pitching staff allowed one earned run in 13 innings of work.
Game 1 – UWSP 2, Carroll 1
Thompson and Roberts drew consecutive walks to start the bottom of the first. A double steal moved both runners into scoring position. Madsen lifted a sac fly to center to plate the first run. Otto laid down a perfect squeeze bunt for a 2-0 lead.
Harwood worked out of jams in the second and third innings, stranding two aboard in each frame. Zygowski escaped dangers in the fifth, sixth and seventh stranding seven base runners to pick up her first save of the season.
Game 2 – UWSP 9, Carroll 1 (6)
Roberts walloped the first pitch she saw in the first inning over the center field fence for an early 1-0 lead.
Rizzo started the third with a double to left-center. Thompson followed with a ground-rule double to push home the first run of the frame. She stole third and scored as Roberts reached on a fielder's choice. Madsen was hit by a pitch and both runners stole to get into scoring position. Otto reached on a fielder's choice as another run came home.
Ashley LeCavalier (Cedarburg, Wis./Cedarburg) hit a sac fly with the bases loaded and one out to cap the five-run inning.
Roberts was hit by a pitch with two down in the fourth. She stole second and scored on a double by Madsen to give the Pointers a 7-0 lead.
In the sixth, Thompson led off with a single. She moved to second on a groundout. With two down. Otto crushed a two-run home run to left for a 9-1 lead.
The Pointers return to Rhinelander on Thursday (Feb. 26) for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader against Edgewood.