La Crosse, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin La Crose softball team dropped a non-conference doubleheader to the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) Tuesday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Tommies, ranked sixth on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Poll, won the opener, 10-0 in six innings, and the nightcap, 7-3. UWL falls to 15-11 on the season while St. Thomas (Minn.) improves to 22-4.

The Tommies scored three runs in both the first and second inning to take a 6-0 lead. Chase Shortly hit a two-run home run in the first while Dana Connelly hit a solo home run. Melissa Barry hit a three-run home run in the second to put St. Thomas (Minn.) up 6-0. UWL put two runners on base in the second, but failed to score. 

The score remained 6-0 until the sixth inning when St. Thomas (Minn.) scored four runs on seven hits to take a 10-0 lead. Rachel Suter had a two-run double. UWL would once again put two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh as Stephanie Cole and Kendra Leis each singled, but were stranded to end the game.

Sydne Shattuck (3-5) suffered the loss on the mound for the Eagles as she allowed 10 runs on 14 hits and three walks in 6.0 innings. Leis finished the game 2-for-3 to lead the Eagles' offense.

Kierstin Anderson-Glass (9-3) picked up the shutout win for St. Thomas (Minn.), giving up four hits while striking out seven in 6.0 innings. Barry went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBI while Megan Baniecke and Kristin McGonigal each went 2-for-3 with a run.

St. Thomas (Minn.) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first in the nightcap as Elise Barnes led-off the game with a home run and Connelly later added an RBI single. The Tommies led 4-0 in the top of the third after Sam Birling's two-run home run. 

The Eagles cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the third. Cole's RBI single scored Mia Schmidtke to cut the lead to 4-1 and Emily Lyman scored on a Tommies' error to make it 4-2. Sabrina Scardamaglia's run-scoring single knocked in Cole to make it a one-run game. 

St. Thomas (Minn.) responded with three runs in the top of the fourth with Barnes and Kendall Hopkins each hitting RBI single while Shorty had a sacrifice fly to score a run. UWL left five runners on base over the last three innings, including two in the bottom of the seventh. 

Caitlyn Hughes (10-2) suffered the loss for UWL, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing seven hits, seven runs and four walks. Maddie Muelken went 3.1 innings, allowing two hits. Scardamaglia went 3-for-4 for the Eagles with an RBI while Cole finished 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. 

Hopkins (2-0) earned the win for St. Thomas (Minn.), going 4.1 innings in relief while allowing five hits and one run (unearned) while striking out six. Barnes, Connelly, Birling and Jenna Bromen each had two hits.

UWL returns to action Thursday, April 11 hosting UW-Stout at 2 p.m.