RHINELANDER, Wis. – The Edgewood College Eagles softball squad opened their 2023 season with a pair of games at the UTC Invite Saturday. They battled with the UW-Stout Blue Devils and the UW-Stevens Point Pointers. The Eagles (1-1) found themselves in two very different games, taking home an 8-7 offensive showcase over the Blue Devils (0-3), before falling in a 1-0 pitchers dual against the Pointers (1-1).
GAME ONE: EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 8, UW-STOUT 7
- The fireworks started early as
Grace Ott slammed a three-run homer in the first to give Edgewood College a 3-0 lead. UW-Stout replied with some small ball as a sacrifice grounder and a single settled the score at 3-2 after one inning played. A solo shot from Lexy Kupczak in the third would tie things up at 3-3 heading into the fourth.
- The Blue Devils would gain the lead for the first time in the fifth. An
Olivia Hebert RBI single followed by UW-Stout doing the same would leave things at 4-4 after four, but an Eagle error would lead to the Blue Devils taking a 5-4 lead off of an RBI single in the fifth.
- A single from
Gracie Halfman assisted by an error from UW-Stout would prove key for Edgewood College in the sixth as she brought in two runs. A Hebert single brought Halfman home for an unearned run and a 7-5 lead. Another Eagle error proved to be costly in the bottom of the frame, however, as the Blue Devils had a two-run shot helped by an unearned runner to tie things back up.
- One final error by UW-Stout in the top of the seventh would prove to be decisive.
Elizabeth Malarski would reach on an error by the second basemen to load the bases, before
Gaby Slater walked in what turned out to be the game-winning run. A lead off single was promising for the Blue Devils in the seventh, but three strikeouts in a row would decisively end the fireworks.
- Hebert was a perfect four-for-four at the plate with two RBIs and a run. Halfman was three-of-four with two runs and an RBI, while Ott was two-of-four including her three-run homer to start the game.
- Kayli Pfeffe and Alexa Anders did the most damage for UW-Stout, hitting six-of-seven combined with five RBIs and two runs.
- Slater closed out the last 1.2 innings with five strikeouts.
Grace Pustina earned the win with 5.1 innings pitched and four strikeouts
GAME TWO: UW-STEVENS POINT 1, EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 0
- The Eagles threatened early with runners on second and third with one out, but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat.
- A home run in the third inning from Stevens Point's Rachel Baker would be the only blemish either team would allow all day. Edgewood College would be in scoring position with a runner on second and an out in the fourth, but their hopes were dashed with a double play.
- The Pointers would threaten to expand their lead in their last two innings at the plate. A strikeout and a fielder's choice ended the sixth after two on with one out, while a pop out and a grounder put an end to a similar scenario in the seventh. The Eagles were unable to take advantage as they never got a runner past first in the last three innings of play.
- Pustina threw a strong five innings, allowing only two hits and one earned run with four strikeouts to her name.
- Ashley Zygowski earned the victory, striking out nine Eagles in five innings while facing 15 at-bats. Tkach Makenna was almost flawless tallying the save, allowing a single hit in two innings with seven at-bats.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Edgewood College's meeting with UW-Stout was their first since 1996. They are now 2-0 in the all-time series against the Blue Devils.
- The Eagles have lost six in a row to the Pointers and are 1-15 in the series dating back to 1991.
UP NEXT
- Edgewood College plays in the MMU Collegiate Slugger Series next weekend in Peoria, Ill. They play UW-Stevens Point and Augustana on Thursday evening. First pitch against the Pointers is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and their matching against the Vikings is slated to begin at 8:00 p.m. The Eagles last met Augustana back in 1996 and lost the only meeting between the two squads.
