Issued: April 27, 2003

SOFTBALL SPLITS AGAIN AT WIAC CLUSTER TOURNEY FINALE

MENOMONIE - The UW-Eau Claire softball team brought two different offensive games to the final day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Cluster Tournament as they fell to UW-Platteville 4-2 but then host UW-Stevens Point 12-0 in five innings here today at Wakanda Park.

The Blugolds move to 14-20 on the season and 8-8 in WIAC action with no remaining conference games until the WIAC Tournament held next weekend.

In Eau Claire's first game of day two the Blugolds were held to just four hits as Platteville starting pitcher Alexis Thoms was near perfect. Platteville opened the game with three runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early lead on Blugold starter Kim Czapla (Sr-Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove). Platteville tacked on another run in the top of the third but in the bottom of the fourth the Blugolds finally got on the board. Jane Taragos (Sr-Wayzata) knocked in the run for Eau Claire. Laura Brackey (Fr-Oakdale, MN/Tartan) brought the Blugolds within two in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single but Eau Claire was unable to close the gap as Platteville won the contest 4-2.

The Blugolds totaled two runs on four hits and one error while Platteville finished with four runs on nine hits and one error.

Beth Steward (Jr-Chippews Falls/Chi-Hi) gave the Blugolds plenty of offense in Eau Claire's second game as she hit two home runs in the game. Steward finished 3-for-3 with two home runs and three runs scored in a 12-0 rout of Stevens Point. Center fielder Jes Schils (So.-Green Bay/Ashwaubenon) also collected three hits in three at bats while knocking in three and scoring a run. Brenda Westermann (Sr.-Minnetonka, MN) and Mandy Freidel (Fr.-Tomahawk) each had two hits in the Blugold win.

Andrea Neuville (Fr-Green Bay/West) earned the win for the Blugolds as she threw five innings of scoreless softball. Neuville allowed just four hits while issuing no free passes and striking out one batter. The Blugolds finished with 12 runs on 13 hits and one error while Stevens Point totaled no runs on four hits and five errors.

The Blugolds will next be in action Tuesday afternoon when they will travel to Northfield, Minnesota for a contest with St. Olaf at 4:00.

EC vs. Platteville Box

EC vs. Stevens Point Box