WINONA, Minn. – The UW-Stevens Point softball team (30-14) fell to No. 11 Saint Mary's (37-6) in the NCAA Tournament Regional opener on Thursday morning. It was the first meetings between the programs since 1998.
Senior
Trinity Otto (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) belted a solo home run to account for UWSP's run.
Kaitlyn Roberts (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville),
Rachael Madsen (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford),
Morgan Harwood (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) and
Ashley LeCavalier (Cedarburg, Wis./Cedarburg) each had a single in the game.
Kodi Rizzo (Newark, Ill./Newark Community), Harwood and
Ashley Zygowski (Saukville, Wis./Port Washington) all pitched in the game for the Pointers.
Roberts singled with two away in the top of the first. She moved to third on a single by Madsen, but the whole play was nullified by a runner left early call.
A leadoff walk and a single put runners on the corners in the first for SMU. Madsen cut down the runner attempting to steal second, but the slide took out the fielder allowing the runner from third to score. It was Madsen's 16th runner caught stealing, tying her for the national lead this season.
Madsen singled to start the second. Two batters later, Otto was hit by a pitch. With two down, LeCavalier reached on an error, but UWSP stranded the bases loaded.
Two hits in the second for the Cardinals plated a run and UWSP faced a 2-0 deficit.
Hailee Thompson (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) was hit by a pitch to begin the third inning. Two batters later, Roberts drew a walk. Again, UWSP was held without a run scored.
SMU loaded the bases in the third with a single and two walks. Harwood came on in relief with two away and stranded all three runners.
Otto crushed the first pitch of the fourth over the fence in right-center to get UWSP on the board. Harwood and LeCavalier had back-to-back singles, but both were stranded in scoring position.
SMU added two runs in the fourth on three hits to put UWSP's deficit at 4-1. The Cardinals got another run in the sixth on three hits to make it 5-1.
Rizzo went 2.2 innings in the start. Harwood also tossed 2.2 innings and recorded the lone strikeout by UWSP pitching. Zygowski pitched the final 0.2 frames.
The Pointers will face Bethany Lutheran in game four of the regionals on Friday (May 15) at 1:30 p.m. The winner will keep its season alive and play again at 4:00 p.m. in another elimination game.
