Blugolds sweep Pointers
Overall record 25-8 after weekend games
Jacob McCormick
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Sports
The difference between the UW-Eau Claire softball team's Thursday matchup against St. Scholastica (Minn.) and their Saturday doubleheader against UW-Stevens Point was like night and day as far as run support is concerned.
The 14th-ranked Blugolds split the doubleheader against the Saints, winning the first game 1-0 but dropping the second 3-1. In contrast, Eau Claire swept Stevens Point 7-4 and 11-3, respectively. The team was set to play at UW-Whitewater in another doubleheader Sunday, but weather conditions forced the game to be played today.
Currently, the Blugolds hold a 10-2 WIAC conference record, good for second in the conference, and are 25-8 overall after the weekend.
In the first game against St. Scholastica, senior pitcher Bri Sturm tallied eight strikeouts and notched the complete game shutout. She only allowed two hits and walked two batters.
The only run came on a two-out single down the left field line by junior Ainsley Klar, scoring freshman Aleisha Harper from second.
Klar said her hit was an example of timely hitting that the team has been collectively working on improving.
"Against St. Scholastica, we were getting runners on through walks and fielder's choices," she said. "Timely hitting is something we've been focusing on because we have the ability; we just have to get that hit."
While it was enough for the win behind Sturm's seven inning pitching effort, coach Leslie Huntington was disappointed in the team's offensive approach.
"I think it was a little bit of a lack of intensity and focus on offense," she said. "We made a lineup change in the second game hoping to spark something, but it didn't work."
Against the Pointers, the Blugolds wanted to take advantage of being the visiting team by putting runs on the board early.
"We stressed coming out and setting the tone offensively right away because we had the advantage of hitting first," Klar said. "We wanted to keep pouring (the runs) on. Hitting is contagious, and we found that against Stevens Point."
The 14th-ranked Blugolds split the doubleheader against the Saints, winning the first game 1-0 but dropping the second 3-1. In contrast, Eau Claire swept Stevens Point 7-4 and 11-3, respectively. The team was set to play at UW-Whitewater in another doubleheader Sunday, but weather conditions forced the game to be played today.
Currently, the Blugolds hold a 10-2 WIAC conference record, good for second in the conference, and are 25-8 overall after the weekend.
In the first game against St. Scholastica, senior pitcher Bri Sturm tallied eight strikeouts and notched the complete game shutout. She only allowed two hits and walked two batters.
The only run came on a two-out single down the left field line by junior Ainsley Klar, scoring freshman Aleisha Harper from second.
Klar said her hit was an example of timely hitting that the team has been collectively working on improving.
"Against St. Scholastica, we were getting runners on through walks and fielder's choices," she said. "Timely hitting is something we've been focusing on because we have the ability; we just have to get that hit."
While it was enough for the win behind Sturm's seven inning pitching effort, coach Leslie Huntington was disappointed in the team's offensive approach.
"I think it was a little bit of a lack of intensity and focus on offense," she said. "We made a lineup change in the second game hoping to spark something, but it didn't work."
Against the Pointers, the Blugolds wanted to take advantage of being the visiting team by putting runs on the board early.
"We stressed coming out and setting the tone offensively right away because we had the advantage of hitting first," Klar said. "We wanted to keep pouring (the runs) on. Hitting is contagious, and we found that against Stevens Point."
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