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Issued: April 16, 2006

SOFTBALL TO HOST ST. SCHOLASTICA IN A DOUBLEHEADER TUESDAY

EAU CLAIRE - The eighth-ranked UW-Eau Claire softball team will host 16th-ranked St. Scholastica in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Gelein Field in Carson Park.

The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played on April 2nd, but wet field conditions at Gelein Field postponed the contest.

The Blugolds (23-3, 8-0) will come in riding a team record 17-game winning streak. The Blugolds last loss was back on March 20th to Washington & Jefferson (PA) down at the Rebel Spring Games.

Blugold pitcher Mallory McKinney (Jr.-Brooklyn Park, MN/Champlin Park) continues to be dominant on the mound. McKinney (15-1) is currently tied for the team record for shutouts in a season with nine. In her last game, McKinney had a 61 scoreless inning streak come to an end, but still picked up the victory against UW-River Falls. Opponents are batting just .146 in 328 at bats against her.

McKinney has also been effective at the plate as she is tied with Casey Leisgang (So.-Seymour, WI) for the team lead in homeruns with seven. She also has the most RBIs on the team with 27 and is batting .388.

Rachel Paulus (Jr.-Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln) and Jill Janke (So.-Black River Falls, WI) have also excelled at the plate this season. Paulus is batting .437 and has the most hits on the team with 38. She also leads the team is stolen bases with 15. Janke is batting .427 and is second on the team in hits with 35. Janke is tied for the team lead in doubles with eight.

The Blugolds as a team have scored 156 runs this season and have just allowed 44. They have also hit 23 homeruns and have just given up five to their opponents. The team record for homeruns in a season is 28, which was set last year.

St. Scholastica (19-5, 4-0) has won its last 10 straight games and will face UW-River Falls tomorrow before facing the Blugolds on Tuesday.

The Saints have scored 107 runs this season compared to just 51 by their opponents. Laura Heise leads the team with a .450 batting average. Heise has also been effective on the mound as she is 13-3 this season with an ERA of 0.47. She has eight shutouts this season.

The Blugolds have lost their last two meetings against the Saints with their last win coming in April, 2004. The Saints own the all-time series 9-3.

The first game of the doubleheader begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Gelein Field in Carson Park.

- JR -

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