Tucson, Ariz. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team picked up two wins on Tuesday at the Tucson Invitational Games. The Eagles of UWL, now 9-7 on the season, defeated MacMurray College (Ill.) 16-0 in five innings and Edgewood College (Wis.) 15-2 in five innings.

In game one against MacMurray College (Ill.), UWL scored two runs in the first inning as Stephanie Cole and Kendra Leis each drove in a run on back-to-back sacrifice flies. The Eagles then scored five runs on six hits in the third inning to take a 7-0 lead. Leis started the scoring with her second home run of the season while Katie Block hit her third home run of the year. Mia Schmidtke also drove in two runs during the third inning with her second double of the season.

UWL would then take a commanding 13-0 lead in the fourth inning as they scored six more runs on five hits and two errors. Schmidtke drove in two more runs with a single while Block, Allison Oster, and Mallorie Segobiano each drove in a run during the six run inning. In the fifth inning, the Eagles loaded the bases with three straight singles before an out was recorded. Leis then drove in two runs with a single followed by an RBI single from Segobiano to give the Eagles a 16-0 led after five innings.

That would be all the scoring for the Eagles as Maddie Muelken (1-2) and Mattie Bredeson combined for the complete game shutout on the mound. Muelken picked up the win by allowing zero runs on six hits while striking out six. Bredeson pitched the final inning for the Eagles giving up just one hit while recording a strikeout. Kiersten Hann suffered the loss for MacMurray as she gave up seven runs on ten hits in 2.2 innings of work.

Offensively, the Eagles had 12 players record at least one hit as they finished with 20 hits in the game and had 11 different players score a run. The 20 hits are tied for fourth in single-game school history and the most since finishing with 20 in a 15-1 win over Crown (Minn.) on March 18, 2016. The 16 runs are the most since a 17-4 victory over UW-Platteville on April 2, 2017.

Individually, the Eagles were led by Schmidtke who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI's while Leis was 3-for-4 with a run scored, four RBI's and a homerun. Also finishing with multiple hits was Segobiano (3-for-4, run scored and 2 RBI's), Block (2-for-5, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI's), Nicole Trussoni (2-for-2 with a run scored) and Kathryn VanderSchaaf (2-for-2 with 2 runs scored).

In game two against Edgewood College (Wis.), Schmidtke led off in the bottom of the first with a single and a stolen base. After back-to-back outs, Leis then drove in Schmidtke for the first run of the game. The lead would be short lived as Edgeword scored two runs in the top of the second inning. Hanna Fischer drove in a run with a double and scored on an error during the play to give Edgewood the 2-1 lead. Sabrina Scardamaglia tied the game up in the bottom of the second with her second homerun of the season.

UWL then scored three runs on four hits and an error in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Segobiano and Block each drove a run in with singles to highlight the scoring in the third inning. The Eagles of UWL then broke the game wide open in the fourth as they scored ten runs on nine hits. After Sydney Murphy singled, Cole reached on a hit by pitch to start the fourth inning. Murphy then scored on a double by Leis while Cole reached third. Leis and Cole then scored on a double by Sydne Shattuck. Block followed with the Eagles third straight double to move Shattuck to third. After RBI singles by Scardamaglia, Oster, Murphy and Cole, Leis doubled for the second time in the inning to drive in two runs. Shattuck then singled to score Leis to cap off the scoring for UWL.

After giving up four hits and two runs in the first two innings, UWL pitcher Caitlyn Hughes (6-1) did not allow another Edgewood player to reach base. Hughes finished the game allowing just two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out seven. It was Hughes fourth complete game of the season.

UWL finished with 17 hits including six players with multiple hits. Leading the way for UWL was Leis who finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and four RBI's. Murphy (2-for-4, 1 run scored and an RBI), Shattuck (2-for-2, 1 run scored and 3 RBI's), Block (2-for-4, 2 runs scored and 1 RBI), Scardamaglia (2-for-2, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI's) and Oster (2-for-3, 1 run scored and 1 RBI) all reached base multiple times.

UWL will finish up their spring break trip in Tucson, Ariz. with two more games on Wednesday as they face Centre College (Kent.) at 11 a.m. and Augsburg College (Minn.) at 1:00 p.m.