Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 La Crosse, Wis.- The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team opened 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play with a doubleheader loss to UW-Eau Claire Tuesday afternoon at North Campus Field, falling 8-0 in six innings and 3-2 in eight innings.  The Eagles drop to 15-10 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC while the Blugolds improve to 11-9 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

Zana Lorbetske (5-4) earned the complete-game win in the opener for UW-Eau Claire. She pitched 6.0 innings, allowing one hit with one hit-by-pitch while striking out five. The Blugolds took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second, scoring their first two runs without the benefit of a hit.  Emma Lehman drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run of the game followed by Evie Schaller being hit-by-pitch to make it 2-0.  Rachel Heffel came in on a UWL fielding error for a 3-0 lead and Leah Wolff's RBI single gave UW-Eau Claire a 4-0 advantage.

The Blugolds added to their lead in the top of the third as Morgan Lecheler scored on Heffel single.  Bri Calder had an RBI single and Schaller a fielder's choice to knock in a run in the top of the fifth to make it 7-0.  Heffel scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth.

Jessie Carignan (5-4) suffered the loss for UWL, going 1.2 innings, allowing four hits, four runs (two earned) and two walks with three strikeouts. Heather Grelle went 4.1 innings in relief, allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned) and three walks with one strikeout.

Brittany Baldwin recorded the Eagles' only hit of the game, a leadoff single in the bottom of the first.

UW-Eau Claire finished with 11 hits as Lecheler went 3-for-3 with two runs and one walk. Wolff finished 2-for-4 with an RBI while Schaller and Calder each had two RBI.

The Blugolds took a 1-0 lead in the nightcap on Sam Noetzelman's run-scoring single.  UWL scored its first runs of the doubleheader in the bottom of the fifth.  Megan Nelson singled with one out and was replaced by pinch-runner Brooke Baldwin, who stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Brittany Baldwin followed with an RBI triple to center field to score Brooke Baldwin and force a 1-1 tie.  Brittany Baldwin scored on Emily Holldorf's fielder's choice, beating the throw from second base.

UW-Eau Claire tied the game in the top of the sixth on Wolff's RBI double.  The game remained tied 2-2 until the top of the eighth.  The Blugolds' Brooke Varian singled to start the inning and advanced to second on Wolff's sacrifice bunt.  After a pop-out for the second out of the inning, Varian scored on a pair of UWL errors on the same play to give UW-Eau Claire a 3-2 lead.  Sydney Murphy singled with two outs in the bottom of the eighth for UWL, but the Eagles failed to score as the Blugolds earned the win.

Katie Klein (1-3) took the loss for UWL, pitching 2.2 innings in relief.  She allowed two hits, one unearned run and two walks with one strikeout. Caitlyn Hughes started for the Eagles, going 5.1 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and one walk while striking out six.

UWL totaled six hits with Brittany Baldwin finishing 3-for-4 and Nelson going 2-for-3.  Baldwin had one run and one RBI.

Lauren Blasczyk (4-4) earned the victory for UW-Eau Claire. She pitched 7.0 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and one walk while recording seven strikeouts.  Lorbetske picked up her first save of the year, going 1.0 inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout.  The Blugolds had seven hits with Varian finishing 3-for-3 with one run.

UWL returns to action Wednesday, April 13 at UW-Stout at 3 p.m.