La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team opened its 2022 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) schedule with a doubleheader split with UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Eagles, also playing their first home game of the season, fell 8-4 in the opener before coming back to earn a 5-3 victory in the nightcap. UWL is now 13-8 overall and 1-1 in the WIAC while UW-Eau Claire is 15-5 overall and 1-1 in the conference. 

UWL took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning in the opener as Kyra Lard doubled to start the game and scored on a Kendra Leis single. UW-Eau Claire scored a pair of runs in the top of the third on Sadie Erickson's two-run home run.  The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the inning with Lard coming in on a Blugolds' throwing error.  

UWL took a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Madi O'Brien singled to start the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Megan Scheidt. After a pop-out for the first out of the inning, Jordyn McCormack doubled to left field to score Scheidt and give the Eagles a one-run lead. 

UW-Eau Claire regained the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth. Erickson's double scored Shaelyn Talley with an unearned run to tie the contest at 3-3. Erickson later scored on an Eagles' wild pitch. UWL tied it in the bottom of the frame with Emily Lyman coming in on a passed ball.  

UW-Eau Claire scored four unearned runs in the seventh. Talley scored the eventual game-winning run on a two-out UWL fielding error off the bat of Maria Back. Ellie Decker followed with a three-run home run to make the final score 8-4. 

UWL finished with seven hits in the opener with Lard going 2-for-4 with two runs while McCormack finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Remington Stark (2-2) suffered the loss for the Eagles, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing two hits, four runs (none earned) and one walk. Elise Weinzierl started, going 5.2 innings, allowing five hits, four runs (two earned) and one walk while striking out eight. 

UW-Eau Claire also totaled seven hits in the first game. Erickson went 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI while Decker had three RBI and Talley two runs. Lauren Gamme (2-1) picked up the win, going 2.2 innings in relief, allowing two hits, one run and two walks with one strikeout. 

The Blugolds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first in the nightcap as Megan Maruna scored on Erickson's groundout. The Eagles quickly took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning. McCormack singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Leis walked, Hailey Jibben's infield single loaded the bases. McCormack scored on Ellie Yaeger's fielder's choice to tie the game at 1-1 and Leis came in on O'Brien's groundout to give UWL a 2-1 lead. 

UW-Eau Claire took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the fourth. Back's RBI triple scored Erickson to tie the game at 2-2 and Decker followed with an RBI single to knock in Back to give the Blugolds a 3-2 lead. The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Hailey Pitzl singled with one out and was replaced by pinch-runner Joette Kassa. Scheidt's sacrifice bunt moved Kassa to second and Lard followed with an RBI single to knock in Kassa with the tying run. 

The Eagles earned their first conference win of the season in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch-hitter Lauren Winkler walked with one out and replaced by pinch-runner Scheidt, who stole second. After a strikeout. McCormack hit a walk-off two-run home run to give UWL the 5-3 victory. 

Madi Lee (2-2) earned the victory for UWL, going 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two. Ally Eden started, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs with one strikeout. The Eagles finished with seven hits as McCormack and Jibben each went 2-for-3. McCormack had two RBI and scored twice. 

Game (2-2) took the loss for UW-Eau Claire, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing four hits, three runs and one walk while striking out two. The Blugolds finished with 10 hits in the nightcap. Maruna went 4-for-4 with a run scored. 

UWL returns to action Sunday, April 10 facing UW-Stevens Point at 1 p.m. at Madison College (Wis.).