Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team opened its 2014 home schedule and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) season with a doubleheader sweep of UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field.  The Eagles won the opener, 5-3, and the nightcap, 5-4. UW-L improves to 13-3 overall and 2-0 in the WIAC while UW-Eau Claire falls to 13-9 overall and 0-2 in the conference.  The Eagles earned their first doubleheader sweep of the Blugolds since 2011.

The game were played at renovated North Campus Field.  The complex features new dugouts, new batting cages, a new scoreboard and a new seating grandstand.  It was UW-L's first games at North Campus Field since 2012.  

In the opener, UW-Eau Claire took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Deanna Gilane was hit-by-pitch with the bases-loaded to score Amanda Fischer.  UW-L tied the game in the bottom of the inning.  Emily Holldorf singled to start the inning and went to second on Alecia Faber's single.  Both runners then moved up a base on a wild pitch.  Katie Fink drew a walk to load the bases with no outs.  After a strikeout, the Eagles' Megan Nelson singled to center field to score Holldorf.  

The Eagles took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.  Kelli Anderson opened with a double and was replaced by pinch-runner Erin Maletzke.  Emilie Wiltzius singled to move Maletzke to third.  Katrina O'Keefe then singled down the left field line to knock in Maletzke to give UW-L a 2-1 advantage.  Wiltzius later scored on Faber's sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead. 

UW-Eau Claire tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the third inning on Leah Wolff's two-out two-run double to score Nikki Brooks and Taylor Pierce. 

UW-L took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Sheehan opened the frame with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Jenny Gallagher.  Nelson's sacrifice bunt moved Gallagher to second.  Greta Gumness then doubled to center field to score Gallagher for the lead run.  The Eagles added a run in the bottom of the sixth.  Holldorf walked with one out and went to second on a groundout.  After Fink walked, Sheehan singled to score Holldorf for a 5-3 lead. 

Nelson (5-3) earned the win in the opener, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, three runs and four walks with one strikeout.  Jessie Carignan picked up her second save, going 2.0 innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

UW-L finished with 13 hits in the opener, including four players with at least two.  Holldorf went 3-for-3 with two run scored while Faber and Nelson were both 2-for-3 and Sheehan finished 2-for-4.  Faber, Nelson and Sheehan each had an RBI. 

Lauren Blasczyk (1-2) suffered the loss for UW-Eau Claire, going 5.0 innings in relief.  She allowed seven hits, two runs and three walks. Emma Wishau started, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing six hits, three runs and one walk with one strikeout. 

Pierce went 2-for-4 with a run scored while Wolff finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.

In the nightcap, UW-L took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Nelson singled to start the inning and advanced to third after a UW-Eau Claire fielding error.  Nelson later scored on Anderson's fielder's choice bunt for a 1-0 lead. 

The Blugolds scored twice in the top of the third. Kelsey Meredith scored on an Eagles fielding error to tie the game and Emily Pomykalski came in on Pierce's two-out double. Both runs were unearned.  UW-Eau Claire added a run in the top of the fourth for a 3-1 lead as Amanda Houle scored on Gilane's sacrifice fly. 

UW-L took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth.  Gumness reached on a fielder's choice with two outs and moved to second on Anderson's single.  Wiltzius then hit a three-run home run to left field to make it 4-3. 

UW-Eau Claire tied the game in the top of the fifth on Pierce scored on Kenzie Winning's fielder's choice bunt.  

The Eagles earned the victory in the seventh inning. With one out, Holldorf reached on a bunt single.  She moved to second on Faber's sacrifice bunt and scored the winning run on a Blugolds' fielding error. 

Nelson (6-3) also earned the victory in the nightcap, going 3.2 innings in relief. She pitched 3.2 innings, allowing two hits, one run (unearned) and one walk.  Carignan started for the Eagles, pitching 3.0 innings, allowing six hits, three runs (one earned) and one walk while striking out two.

Holldorf went 4-for-4 with a run scored while Nelson finished 2-for-3 with one run.  Wiltzius had three RBI. 

Wishau (4-3) took the loss for UW-Eau Claire, pitching 2.2 innings.  She allowd one hit and one run (unearned) with one strikeout.  Laura Raflik started, going 4.0 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs (three earned) with one strikeout. 

Rachel Heffel and Pierce each went 2-for-3.  Gilane had two RBI.

UW-L returns to action Sunday, April 6 hosting UW-Superior at noon.