By Daniel Schoettler

Early offense and clutch hitting helped the Warhawks Softball team keep its great start to the season going.  The Warhawks swept doubleheaders against Carroll University and St. Norbert College and they split a doubleheader against the University of Chicago.

“It’s always key to score right away,” head coach Brenda Volk said. “It’s one of our goals. We score first especially, and it definitely helps us.”

In the doubleheader against Carroll University, the ’Hawks got ahead early in both games and maintained their lead throughout. They won the first game of the doubleheader 3-1 and the second game 3-0.

In the first game against Carroll University, the ’Hawks got the lead in the first inning, when they took advantage of a single by senior Amanda Mertes and a double from junior Mimi Ramirez. Mertes scored on a passed ball, and Ramirez scored on a single up the middle by senior Emily Epifanio.

The team added an insurance run in the fourth. Junior Morgan Krisch singled to lead off the inning and she was driven in by Epifanio on an RBI double.

Carroll University scored one run in the seventh on a double by Rebecca Menelle that scored Ashlee Leidell.  The ’Hawks defended the late threat and won the game.

Senior Katie Boyle went picked up the win for the team.  Boyle pitched 6.1 innings, only allowing one run on four hits.

In the second game of that doubleheader, the ’Hawks did the same thing as they did in the first game.  The team scored early and maintained their lead throughout the game.

In the third-inning with the bases loaded, junior Samie Seamon gave the ’Hawks the early lead with an RBI single that scored. Junior Laura Eichenhold grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Krisch.

The ’Hawks added on to that lead with a Krisch home run in the fifth. It was her third home run on the season.

“We were a little dead the first game, and the second game, we came out and strung some hits together,” Krisch said. “Even though we didn’t have the score we wanted with as many runs, I’m really happy with my team, and we’re really doing well.”

Sophomore Bekka Houda picked up the win for the ’Hawks. Houda pitched a shutout only allowing three hits and she struck out five.

In Saturday’s doubleheader against St. Norbert College, the team came up with some clutch hits to give them both victories to continue the streak.  They defeated St. Norbert 5-1 in the first game of the doubleheader and beat St. Norbert 4-2 in the second game.

Epifanio was a key hitter in the first game, hitting a three-run home run in the first inning that helped lead them to the 5-1 victory. Seamon hit a home run in the second game with a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the ’Hawks a late lead that helped them to the victory.

“Just going out there and staying loose,” Seamon said. “Being excited and not worrying was the main focus on my mind. Other than that, we put it together as a team.”

Boyle pitched six innings in the first game, only allowing one run and struck out five, earning her eighth win of the season. Houda went all seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and also getting her eighth win of the season.

In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, the ’Hawks lost 3-2, despite home runs from Epifanio and Seamon. Boyle pitched seven innings, giving up three-runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the ’Hawks trailed early, 4-0 after a four-run first by the University of Chicago. The team continued to fight back and won the game 5-4 on a walk-off two-run RBI single by junior Kelly McGrail.

The ’Hawks improved to 17-1 during the weekend. The team’s next doubleheader is against UW-Platteville at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10 in Whitewater.