EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Macalester College softball team continued its season with a pair of losses to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Thursday at Sonnentag Fieldhouse, falling 12-5 in the opener and 9-5 in the nightcap. Despite showing offensive sparks in both games, the Scots couldn't overcome early deficits against the Blugolds.
Game One: Wisconsin-Eau Claire 12, Macalester 5
Macalester jumped out to an early 3-1 lead after the top of the first inning.
Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) drove in the first run with a single to center field that plated
Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School). The Scots added two more runs in the frame when first year
Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame) reached on a throwing error that scored Welch, and first year
Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) came home when Tapia was caught stealing. Wisconsin-Eau Claire responded in the bottom of the first with three runs, powered by back-to-back home runs. The Blugolds added another run in the second for a 4-3 advantage.
The Scots kept fighting in the fourth, as
Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) homered to snag a 5-4 lead. That would be the last lead the Scots saw on Friday. The Blugolds took control of the game with an eight-run fifth inning. UW-Eau Claire sent 14 batters to the plate and collected six hits in the frame.
Game Two: Wisconsin-Eau Claire 9, Macalester 5
In the nightcap, Wisconsin-Eau Claire jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Blugolds extended their lead to 6-0 in the second. The Scots finally broke through in the fourth inning. After Butler reached on a strikeout-passed ball and Welch singled, Wolf singled to load the bases. Tapia then delivered a grand slam to left field, her first of the season, pulling Macalester within two runs at 6-4.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire answered with two runs in the fifth inning. The Scots continued to fight, scoring in the sixth on Wolf's RBI double down the left field line.However, the Blugolds added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to put it away.
Tapia finished the game 1-for-3 with her grand slam and four RBIs. Wolf went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Welch added a hit and scored twice.
The Scots (0-2) will look to bounce back in the Rochester Dome on Mar. 1, taking on Buena Vista University and Luther College in non-conference play.
