Mankato, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball team opened its 2024 season at the Kwik Trip Invitational hosted by Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.) Saturday in the Minnesota State University Mankato All-Sports Dome. The Eagles fell, 9-7, to Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) and 9-1 in five innings to Saint Mary's University (Minn.).

Versus Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), UWL took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Brooke Howard doubled to lead-off the game and went to third on the throw. She then scored on Kyra Lard's sacrifice fly. The Gusties tied the game in the bottom of the second as Taylor Katzenmeyer scored on Breck Carlson's two-out single. 

Both teams tallied three times in the third inning. For UWL, Howard singled with one out and went to second on a Lard single. Jordyn McCormack's single loaded the bases. Marissa Pease followed with a bunt single to score Howard to give UWL a 2-1 lead. Abbey Bosch's RBI single scored Lard for a 3-1 lead and McCormack came in on Lauren Winkler's sacrifice fly. Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning on Madi Mueller's double. Mueller later scored on a Caitlin Olafsson single to make it 4-3 and Olafsson later scored on an Eagles' throwing error to tie the game. 

UWL took a 7-4 lead with three runs in the top of the seventh, but Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) came back with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Lard's single scored Cristin Casey to give UWL a 5-4 lead and Howard came in on McCormack's double to extend the lead to 6-4. Lard later came in on a Bosch single. McCormack set the school record for career doubles with 38.  She breaks the record of 37 set by Kay Kueppers (1999-2002) and Jenna Ahnen (2008-11).

The Gusties tallied five runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning. Olivia Guggenberger scored an unearned run on Olafsson's single to make it 7-5 and Carly Nelson hit a walk-off grand slam with one out to give the Gusties the win. 

UWL finished with 10 hits as Lard went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. Howard went 2-for-4 with three runs while McCormack and Bosch each finished 2-for-4. Howard scored three times while Bosch had two RBI. Madi Lee (0-1) took the loss on Saturday, pitching 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks while striking out three. Elise Weinzierl started, pitching 3.0 innings, allowing five hits, four runs (three earned) and one walk with one strikeout. 

Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) totaled 10 hits. Olafsson finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBi. Maizie Anderson (1-0) earned the win, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing 10 hits, seven runs (six earned) and three walks with five strikeouts. 

Against Saint Mary's (Minn.), UWL took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Pease doubled to start the frame followed by a walk to Bosch. After a fielder's choice and line-out, Lindsay Steien's two-out single scored Bosch. 

Saint Mary's (Minn.) scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning. Abbie Stigler had a two-run single and Peyton Berg a two-run double in the inning. The Cardinals added two runs in the fourth. 

Remington Stark (0-1) suffered the loss, going 1.1 inning, allowing five runs (four earned), one walk and three hit-by-pitches with one strikeout. Ally Eden pitched 2.0 innings, allowing six hits and four runs with two strikeouts. Carmen Follette pitched 0.2 of an inning with one walk. UWL finished with six hits as McCormack went 2-for-3.

Naleya Bork picked up the win for Saint Mary's (Minn.), going 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, one run and three walks while striking out two. The Cardinals totaled six hits as Berg finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, February 24 with a doubleheader versus Concordia University Wisconsin at noon in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.