DECATUR, Ill. – The No. 21 UW-Stevens Point softball team (6-2) won twice on opening day at the Millikin Invite. The Pointers run-ruled host Millikin (1-1), 17-1, in five innings to start the day and took down Coe (4-4) in the nightcap, 7-5.
Junior
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) belted two home runs and drove in five, both career highs, in the win over Millikin. She had five hits on the day, drew a walk and stole a base.
Aubrey Hafermann (Fond du Lac, Wis./St. Mary's Springs Academy) drove in four runs.
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) also had four RBI and
Hannah Roepke (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) drove in two on the day.
Game 1 – UWSP 17, Millikin 1 (5 inn.)
Roberts got the day started with a solo home run to lead off the game. Two batters later,
Rachael Madsen (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford) singled. A fielder's choice and a Millikin error gave UWSP a 2-0 lead.
Hafermann drew a two-out walk in the second. Roberts followed with a two-run home run, her second of the game.
Sophie Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union) and Otto drew back-to-back walks to begin the third.
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) singled with two down to drive in the first run of the frame. Hafermann followed with her first career triple to plate two runs and give UWSP a 7-0 lead.
Madsen doubled to start the fourth. Two batters later, Otto singled to drive in a run. Roepke and
Cora Stodola (Mishicot, Wis./Mishicot) each had pinch-hit singles to load the bases. Hafermann drew a walk to push in a run. Roberts singled to plate two more as UWSP took an 11-1 lead.
Madsen and Schmidt drew walks to start the fifth. Otto and Roepke were hit by pitches to push in a run.
Ella Smith (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) and
Kodi Rizzo (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) also were hit by pitches as two more runs crossed the plate. Hafermann hit a sac fly,
Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) had an RBI single and Madsen drove in a run on a fielder's choice to complete the scoring.
Harwood pitched four innings to earn the win. She struck out one. Rizzo tossed a hitless fifth with three strikeouts.
Game 2 – UWSP 7, Coe 5
Roberts doubled to start the bottom of the first. Thompson drew a walk and Madsen singled to load the bases. Two batters later, Otto hit a sac fly to get UWSP on the board. Roepke followed with a two-run single as UWSP went up, 3-0.
Coe got two runs back in the second on a hit, a walk and a UWSP miscue.
Thompson started the third with a walk. Madsen reached on an infield single and both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Otto singled to plate both runners for a 5-2 lead.
Coe tied the game in the fifth with three runs on three hits, a walk and an error.
In the bottom of the frame, Thompson singled to lead off. Madsen drew a walk and both moved up on a sacrifice bunt. A two-out error by Coe allowed both runners to score.
Mallorie Kreuser (Verona, Wis./Verona) went 4.0 innings n the start. She struck out two and did not allowed an earned run against.
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) pitched the final 3.0 frames with five strikeouts to earn the win.
The Pointers play Coe and Millikin again on Sunday (Mar. 8) at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively.
