Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Rochester, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team split its two games at the Rochester Regional Stadium and Bubble Dome at Rochester Community and Technical College Friday night, losing 5-4 to 11th-ranked Central College (Iowa) before coming back and winning 7-2 over the University of Dubuque (Iowa).  UW-L is now 3-3 on the season while Central (Iowa) is 1-1 and Dubuque (Iowa) 2-2.  Central (Iowa) entered the game ranked 11th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Poll released March 4.

Versus Central (Iowa), UW-L took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Emily Holldorf singled with one out, advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on a wild pitch.  Megan Nelson then doubled to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.  Central (Iowa) came right back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game as Paige Schriner scored on Sarah  Bowen's RBI groundout.  The Dutch took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second and added three runs in the bottom of the third for a 5-1 advantage.

Abbie Voas scored on a UW-L error in the second inning.  Schreiner hit a solo home run and Karlee Rock added a two-run single in the third inning for a 5-1 lead.

UW-L tallied singles runs in the top of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.  Pinch-hitter Heather Grelle scored on a Central (Iowa) error in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-2 and Alecia Faber's solo home run in the top of the sixth made it a one-run game.  The Eagles rallied in the top of the seventh.  With two outs, Emilie Wiltzius singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Shelby Beckman.  Sarah Mueller was hit-by-pitch for UW-L and Faber added a run-scoring single to knock in Beckman to make it 5-4.  The Eagles had runners on second and third with two outs, but Katie Nachtigal grounded out to end the game.

Nelson suffered the loss for UW-L, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing five hits, five runs (four earned) and one walk with two strikeouts.  Kelli Anderson finished 3-for-3 for the Eagles while Faber went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.  Holldorf went 2-for-4 with one run. 

Against Dubuque (Iowa), UW-L took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Nelson singled with two outs and scored on Wiltzius' two-run home run.  Wiltzius hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning to give the Eagles a 3-0 advantage.  Dubuque (Iowa) cut the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth without the benefit of a hit.  Rebecca Diffenderfer scored on a wild pitch and Hannah Koerperich came in on a Amanda Williams RBI groundout.

UW-L tallied four times in the bottom of the sixth.  Anderson and Kendra Brown had run-scoring singles for a 5-2 lead and the Eagles added two more runs without a hit as Holldorf was hit-by-pitch and Beckman walked each with the bases-loaded.

Jessie Carignan and Katie Klein combined on the victory, allowing one hit to the Spartans.  Carignan went 3.0 innings, allowing one hit, two unearned runs and four walks with three strikeouts.  Klein picked up the victory, pitching 4.0 innings with three strikeouts.

Wiltzius finished 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored and three RBI.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, March 7 with two games in Rochester.  The Eagles face Dubuque (Iowa) at 12:30 p.m. and Buena Vista University (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m.