Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Tucson, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team opened its 2016 spring trip at the Tucson Invitational Games with a doubleheader sweep of Denison University (Ohio) Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Park, winning 4-0 and 11-7.  The Eagles improve to 4-0 on the season while the Big Red drops to 0-2.

Megan Nelson (1-0) and Katie Klein combined on the five-hit shutout.  Nelson pitched 4.0 innings, allowing three hits while striking out three.  Klein went the final 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

UWL took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Brittany Baldwin singled to open the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball.  She moved to third on Emily Holldorf's sacrifice bunt and scored on Alecia Faber's sacrifice fly.  The Eagles extended their lead to 3-0 with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth as Brooke Baldwin and Ashley Lindstrom both scored. Holldorf singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, stole second and scored on Faber's double to make it 4-0.

UWL finished with seven hits as Brittany Baldwin went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Emilie Wiltzius finished 2-for-3.  Faber had two RBI.

Sarah Herold (0-1) suffered the loss for Denison (Ohio), pitching 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (one earned) with five strikeouts. Five different players had a hit for the Big Red.

UWL scored three runs in the top of the first inning in the nightcap as Faber hit a two-run double and later scored on a passed ball.  Denison (Ohio) cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the first on Amanda Howell's RBI single, but UWL responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second to lead 5-1. Wiltzius had an RBI single and later came in on an error.

The Big Red made it 5-3 in the bttom of the third on RBI from Howell and Colleen Hoffman.  Lindstrom's run-scoring single knocked in Brooke Baldwin to give UWL a 6-3 lead in the top of the fourth, but Denison (Ohio) cut the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single from Lauren Secaras and RBI double from Howell. 

The Eagles tallied five runs in the top of the sixth to take a 11-5 lead.  Holldorf had an RBI single and Wiltzius a two-run single.  Denison (Ohio) finished the scoring in the bottom of the seventh on Erinn Henry's two-run triple.

Caitlyn Hughes (1-0) picked up the win for UWL, going 1.1 innings in relief.  She allowed four hits and two unearned runs while striking out two. Klein earned her second save of the doubleheader, pitching 3.1 innings, allowing two hits, two runs and one walk with three strikeouts.  Jessie Carignan started for the Eagles, going 2.1 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned) with one strikeout.

UWL totaled 13 hits in the nightcap as Brittany Baldwin, Faber, Wiltzius and Lindstrom each had two hits. Brittany Baldwin scored three runs and Holldorf two while Faber finished with two RBI.

Secaras (0-1) took the loss for Denison (Ohio), allowing one hit, three runs and three walks while not recording an out. The Big Red also finished with 13 hits as Herold went 3-for-4 with a run scored.  Secaras and Howell each had two hits and scored once with Howell also finishing with three RBI.

UWL returns to action Monday, March 14 for a single game versus Dickinson State University (N.D.) at 9 a.m.  The Eagles also face North Iowa Area Community College in a junior varsity game at 11 a.m.