La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team clinched the 2022 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Regular Season Championship with a sweep of UW-Whitewater Monday afternoon at North Campus Field. The Eagles, receiving votes in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Poll, won game one 4-0 and the nightcap 3-2. 

The Eagles have now won 13 games in a row and finish the regular season 25-8 overall and 13-1 in WIAC action. The 13 conference wins is the most since the Eagles went 16-0 in the 2010 season. UW-Whitewater is now 17-17 overall and 5-7 in conference action. 

With the win in game one, the Eagles won just their second WIAC Championship in school history and their first since the 2010 season. As champions of the WIAC, the Eagles will host the 2022 WIAC Softball Tournament (presented by Culver's) May 6-8 at North Campus Field. The top five teams in the WIAC advance to this year's tournament with the Eagles earning an opening round bye via the #1 seed. 

In game one, the Eagles started the scoring in the third inning when Lauren Winkler led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Megan Scheidt. Kyra Lard then singled to move Winkler to third before Jordyn McCormack drove in Winkler with a single to give UWL the 1-0 lead. The score remained that way until the fifth inning when the Eagles scored three runs on two hits. Scheidt led of the fifth with a bunt single and advanced to second when Lard reached on a fielders choice. McCormack would then drive in her second run of the game with a single and moving Lard to third. Lard would then score as she beat the throw on a fielders choice by Kendra Leis. 

Starting pitcher Elise Weinzierl (11-2) would retire six of the final seven batters she faced to seal the complete game shutout for the Eagles. Weinzierl's 11 wins is tied for tops in the WIAC as she now has a WIAC best 1.41 earned run average. Weinzierl allowed just five hits while striking out four and walking none. 

McCormack led the Eagle offense as she finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's and a run scored while Leis was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Winkler, Scheidt, and Lard each finished with a hit and a run scored. 

Mallory Hollatz (7-8) suffered the loss for the Warhawks as she allowed four runs on six hits while striking out two. The Warhawks finished with five different players recording a hit. 

UWL jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game two as they sent eight hitters to the plate in the first inning. Lard led off with a single and advanced to second on a single by McCormack. Leis flew out and Lard was thrown out trying to go to third on the play. McCormack then scored on a single by Hailey Jibben. After Madi O'Brien walked, Winkler singled to load the bases. Hannah Lalk then walked to drive in Jibben for the second run of the game.

The Warhawks would get a run back in the second inning as Krista Sbarra drove in a run with a single. The score remained 2-1 until the top of the sixth when UW-Whitewater tied the game at two. Sophia Kinjerski drove in pinch runner Maggie Reinert with a single to tie the game. Reminton Stark would then come on in relief for the Eagles and strike out Grace Wickman to end the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Nicole Zoellner came on to pinch hit for Hannah Lalk and led off with a double. Lalk then re-entered the game and advanced to third on a groundout by Maddie Dokey. Joette Kassa pinch hit for Scheidt and drove the winning run in with a fielders choice as Lalk beat the throw home. 

Sbarra led off the seventh with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brooke Mangler. Meghan Dunning then moved Sbarra to third with a deep flyout to center field. But that would be as far as Sbarra would get as Stark struck out the final Warhawk to preserve the win for the Eagles. 

Stark (9-2) came on in relief to pitch the final 1.1 innings and earn her ninth win of the season. Stark retired four of the five batters she faced including two by strikeouts. Madi Lee started the game for the Eagles and allowed two runs on six hits while walking three and striking out seven in 5.2 innings of work. Rhiann Dick (5-4) suffered the loss for the Warhawks as she allowed one run on four hits while striking out four in 5.1 innings of work. 

As a team, UWL finished with eight hits including getting two apiece from Jibben and McCormack. Kassa, Jibben and Lalk all drove a run in for the Eagles. Sbarra led the Warhawks by reaching base four times including two hits and two walks. Kinjerski also finished 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. 

The Eagles will be back in action on Friday on day one of the WIAC tournament. UWL will play the winner of the #5 vs. #4 seed at 2:00 pm.