UW-La Crosse softball defeated the UW-Platteville Pioneers in a double-header on April 14, with an 8-5 victory in the opening game and a 4-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Played on North Campus field, the victory brought the team’s record up to 20-6. Perhaps most commendable were UW-L’s Cara Salm and Rachel Croak, who each set their career school records. Croak became the Eagles’ leader in stolen bases with an impressive 48, breaking the record of Jenny Miller (2004-2007). Salm set the record for career TBI (111) and found herself surpassing Rochell Vandenlangenberg (1994-97).
In the opener, pitcher Heather Schultz (12-2) earned the win, going 7.0 innings. She allowed eight hits, five runs and one walk and struck out 5 opponents. The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second before the Pioneers tied it the top of the third with a pair of runs. However, it was not to be for the Pioneers, as UW-L took a 3-2 lead in the third and added four more runs in the fourth. Then they added one last run in the fifth, bringing the score to 8-5, where it would remain.
The nightcap was a different story altogether. Where UW-L had dominated the opener, the team soon found them on the defensive as their Platteville opponents took an early lead; this was courtesy of back-to-back RBI doubles from opponents Megan Pozezinski and Foltz, leading to a 2-0 lead for Platteville. It was not until the bottom of the fifth inning that UW-L’s luck changed and Salm produced a two-run homerun that allowed UW-L to tie with their Platteville opponents, raising team morale. It was Salm again who at the bottom of the seventh provided another two run homerun that would allow La Crosse to slide in and grab victory at end of the game.
Ashley Veroeven (3-1) earned the win. She pitched all 7 innings, allowing six hits, two runs and one walk while striking out five opponents. Salm was 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs, while Natalie Stoll went 2-for-2.
Be the first to comment on this article!