La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse softball evened its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) record with a pair of one run wins over 21st-ranked UW-Stevens Point Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field.

The Eagles improved to 18-14 overall and 3-3 in the WIAC with a 4-3 victory in Saturday's opener and 1-0 in nine innings in the nightcap.

UW-Stevens Point, ranked 21st on this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Poll, drops to 23-7 overall and 2-4 in the conference.

The Pointers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second in the opener on Ella Smith's solo home run. The Eagles responded in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs, both being unearned. Maddy Bornbach singled to lead-off the inning and went to second on Lindsay Steien's sacrifice bunt. Bornbach came into tie the game at 1-1 as Marissa Pease reached on a throwing error. Amber Gonzalez followed with a two-out double to score Pease to give UWL a 2-1 lead.

UWL added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Abbey Bosch singled to start the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Kaeley Niemiec. Steien's sacrifice bunt moved Niemiec to second and she came in a Pease' RBI double to make it 3-1.

UW-Stevens Point tied the game with two unearned runs in the top of the sixth. Rachel Baker and Emmie Cibrario both scored on Sophia Heckendorf's two-out single to make it 3-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, Bosch was hit-by-pitch for UWL to lead-off the inning. Steien's single moved Bosch to second. After a fielder's choice, Gonzalez' run-scoring single scored Steien to give UWL a 4-3 lead.
 

The Pointers had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the seventh, but Carmen Follette came into relief and retired the final three batters to earn the victory.

UWL finished with nine hits with Gonzalez and Cristin Casey each going 2-for-3. Gonzalez had two RBI.

Claire Springer (2-0) earned the win, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing six hits, two runs (unearned) with one strikeout. Follette picked up her fifth save of the season, pitching 1.0 inning. Madi Lee started for the Eagles, going 4.1 innings, allowing seven hits, one run and one walk while striking out two.

UW-Stevens Point totaled 13 hits in the opener as Kaitlyn Roberts went 3-for-4. Hailee Thompson and Smith finished 2-for-4 while Heckendorf went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Ashley Zygowski (6-5) suffered the loss the Pointers, pitching 2.0 innings, allowing three hits, one run and one walk with two strikeouts. Morgan Harwood started, going 4.0 innings, allowing six hits and three runs (one earned) while recording five strikeouts.

Both teams stranded runners in the first inning in the nightcap, including UWL leaving the bases loaded. The Eagles left two runners on base in the third and fourth innings while the Pointers stranded two runners in the fourth and one in the fifth.

UW-Stevens Point did not have a runner reach base the final four innings. The Pointers' final 15 batters of the game were retired. 

Kyra Lard doubled to start the bottom of the eighth for UWL was replaced by pinch-runner Carly Gross. After a strikeout, Gross advanced to third on a groundout. Steien was intentionally walked, but Pease flied out to center field to end the inning.

The Eagles earned the win in the bottom of the ninth. Nicole Zoellner singled to lead-off the inning and replaced by pinch-runner Lee, who advanced to second on a passed ball. Gonzalez singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw with Lee moving to third. Brooke Howard was intentionally walked to load the bases. After a UW-Stevens Point pitching change, Lee was out at home on Casey's fielder's choice. Lard, playing on Senior Day, followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Gonzalez with the winning run.

UWL finished with eight hits as Lard went 3-for-5 with only RBI of the contest. Gonzalez finished 2-for-3 and scored the only run of the game.
 

Brynne Bieri (5-2) earned the win, pitching 2.0 innings with three strikeouts. Niemiec started for the Eagles, going 7.0 innings, allowing four hits while striking out four.

UW-Stevens Point totaled four hits in the nightcap.

Zygowski (6-6) took the loss, allowing two hits, one run and one walk while not recording an out. Kodi Rizzo started, going 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Harwood pitched 5.0 innings. She allowed three hits and one walk while striking out three.

UWL returns to action Tuesday, April 22 hosting UW-River Falls in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.