Tucson, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team completed action at the Tucson Invitational Sunday with a pair of victories to improve to 15-3 on the season. The Eagles earned a 3-2 win over 22nd-ranked Central College (Iowa) and 2-1 victory over Hamline University (Minn.). It marks the second straight day UWL has picked up wins over Central (Iowa) and Hamline (Minn.), earning 10-4 victory over Central (Iowa) and 6-5 over Hamline (Minn.) Saturday. Central (Iowa) is ranked 22nd on this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Poll.
UWL finished 13-1 on its spring break schedule.
In UWL's win over Central (Iowa) Sunday, the Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third on an unearned run with
Brooke Baldwin scoring on
Brittany Baldwin's RBI single. UWL added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth to make it 2-0 with
Stephanie Cole scoring on
Ashley Lindstrom's single before Central (Iowa) tied the game in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run.
Using the international tiebreaker for extra innings with a runner placed on second to start the inning, Central (Iowa) failed to score in the top of the eighth as
Katie Klein retired three straight batters. UWL's
Jenny Gallagher was placed on second to start the bottom of the inning. After
Brittany Baldwin was intentionally walked, Cole's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position.
Sydney Murphy was intentionally walked to load the bases and
Grace Mindrup's single to left field scored Gallagher with the winning run.
Brittany Baldwin and
Kathryn Vander Schaaf each went 2-for-3 for the Eagles. Klein (5-2) earned the win, pitching 3.0 innings of relief. She allowed two hits with three strikeouts.
Caitlyn Hughes started for UWL, going 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and two walks with four strikeouts.
Versus Hamline (Minn.), UWL took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth as
Brooke Baldwin scored on
Jessie Carignan's single. The Eagles added to their lead in the top of the fifth on Lindstrom's single to score Murphy. Hamline (Minn.) cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth, but the Pipers left the bases-loaded in the inning. Murphy, Vander Schaaf and Carignan each had two hits versus Hamline (Minn.). Murphy also walked twice.
Carignan (5-0) earned the victory, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two. Klein picked up her fifth save of the season, going 3.0 innings, allowing one hit, one run and three walks.
Klein now has 24 career saves, tying the NCAA Division III record of Samantha Pratt (2009-12) of Keene State University (N.H.). Klein has led NCAA III in saves the last two seasons, recording a school record 11 in 2016 and a then school record of eight in 2015.
UWL returns to action Sunday, March 26 hosting Saint Mary's University (Minn.) at 2 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader at North Campus Field.
