Tucson, Ariz. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team split its final two games in the Tucson Invitational Wednesday. The Eagles won their fourth straight with a 2-0 victory over Centre College (Ky.) before falling 3-1 to Augsburg University (Minn.). UWL is now 10-8 on the season after going 5-5 on its spring trip.
Caitlyn Hughes (7-1) earned the complete-game shutout in the win over Centre (Ky.), pitching 7.0 innings, allowing five hits and two walks while recording six strikeouts. The Colonels stranded eight runners in the game, including the bases-loaded in the top of the first. Centre (Ky.) left two runners on base in the top of the sixth and seventh. Hughes retired the final batter of the game on a fly ball to center field with runners on second and third.
UWL took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on
Mia Schmidtke's lead-off home run. The game remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth when the Eagles'
Kendra Leis doubled to start the inning and later scored on
Katie Block's one-out triple to make it 2-0.
UWL had seven hits with Schmidtke and Leis each going 2-for-3.
Augsburg (Minn.) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third in its victory over UWL on a Sam Anderson RBI single. The Eagles tied the game in the top of the fifth. Schmidtke doubled with one out and scored on a Auggies' throwing error. Augsburg (Minn.) took a 3-1 lead in the sixth as Anderson doubled and scored on Jacquline Nichols' two-run home run.
The Eagles loaded the bases in the top of the seventh.
Sydney Murphy was hit-by-pitch with two outs and advanced to third on
Stephanie Cole's single. Leis followed with an infield single to load the bases, but
Sabrina Scardamaglia flied out to end the game.
Maddie Muelken (1-3) suffered the loss for UWL, pitching 6.0 innings. She allowed four hits, three runs (two earned) and one walk while striking out seven. The Eagles had six hits with Leis recording two.
UWL returns to action Wednesday, March 27 hosting Saint Mary's University (Minn.) in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. in UWL's home opener.