Game Twelve - #4 Eau Claire vs. #3 River Falls
PAULUS’ HIT KEYS EAU CLAIRE WIN
EAU CLAIRE – An infield hit by Rachel Paulus scored two runs to lead UW-Eau Claire to a 2-0 triumph over UW-River Falls in a battle of the final unbeaten teams in the double elimination Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference fastpitch tournament at Gelein Field in Carson Park Saturday morning.
The win moved the defending champion Blugolds into the championship game against the winner of the UW-Oshkosh vs. River Falls elimination game later Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons’ Brittany Rathbun and the Blugolds’ Mallory McKinney were locked in a tight pitching duel until the Eau Claire fifth. With one out, Bekki Kidnie walked and with two out Casey Leisgang walked. Both runners then advanced on a wild pitch. Paulus beat out her infield grounder to short and both runners came around to score before the relay throw from first arrived at the plate.
Paulus’ hit was one of only two managed by the Blugolds who benefited from four walks.
Mallory McKinney went the distance for the Blugolds, scattering four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The Blugolds, the fourth seed in the WIAC tournament, have now won seven in a row and stand 30-11 for the season. River Falls takes a 32-11 game into its game against Oshkosh.
Eau Claire-River Falls Box Score
