Softball squad sweeps the week of competition

Tyler Job, Staff Writer

The No. 15 UW-Whitewater softball team carried its momentum from the week before, going 4-0 on the week with sweeps against UW-Platteville April 12 and UW-Stevens Point April 14.

The Warhawks clobbered UW-Platteville at home by a combined score of 13-0 in two games, my margins of five and eight, respectively.

In the first meeting, UW-W led 2-0 after the first inning after senior first baseman Amy Ricci laced an RBI single into left field that scored junior left fielder Mallory Klotz.

Junior second baseman Michayla Swanson then singled to right that scored sophomore center fielder Caitlin Catino.

Senior right fielder Haley Morelli then continued her hot hitting by jacking a solo home run to right center in the third and ripping an RBI double into left center in the fifth that scored Catino.

Ricci topped things off with an RBI single up the middle that sent home outfielder Jessica Kaemerer.

“Haley has done a good job all season long of swinging at good pitches which has led to a lot of hard hit balls,” UW-W head coach Brenda Volk said. “She has a strong mental game as well and comes to the plate with confidence each time.”

Freshman right-hander Bella Matthias improved to 8-3 on the season after allowing four hits with four strikeouts in seven innings.

It only took the ’Hawks three innings to score eight runs in the second game.

UW-W led 5-0 after the first inning on seven hits, including a three-run bomb by Swanson. Morelli and freshman third baseman Meg Cohrs scored along with Swanson.

Klotz began the scoring for the Warhawks on a solo shot to left center, her fifth homer of the year.

Freshman catcher Nicole Neitzel had another big hit for the Warhawks on an RBI double to right center that brought home freshman right-handed reliever Dani Biesiada.

UW-W then scored two more runs in the second on a Cohrs two RBI single into center, and one more in the third on a Ricci RBI single down the left field line.

Sophomore righty Julia Camardo allowed just four hits en route to her fourth win of the season.

Against UW-Stevens Point, the Warhawks put up 18 runs in the doubleheader while just allowing six total.

UW-W blanked the Pointers 7-0 on the first game on eight hits.

The Warhawks exploded for five runs in the second frame that all started on a Cohrs solo shot into right center.

The squad kept things going in the fifth when Morelli bombed her eighth home run of the year, this time to left center.

UW-W would score one more in the sixth frame on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop Kelly Berglund.

Matthias took home another victory, this time her ninth of the year on just two hits, two walks, and four K’s in seven innings pitched.

“Bella (Matthias) threw the ball very well this past week and showed great poise on the mound,” Volk said. “I have been really happy with all of our pitchers this season, as we have a true pitching ‘staff’.”

Game two was anything but a pitcher’s duel, but the Warhawks won fairly easily by an 11-6 margin.

The contest was mostly in UW-W’s hands near the end, as the team led 11-5 after six. The Pointers’ Morgan Johnson singled to left that scored one in the final frame but that was all the Pointers could muster.

The game was highlighted first by a Morelli two-run blast in the first, her ninth all year.

But the scoring was mostly about Berglund, who had a four RBI game on two singles in the fourth and fifth innings. Each single scored two runs.

Camardo improved to 5-2 on the season on seven hits, but six K’s in six innings. Biesiada, who had a shaky seventh, cleaned things up for the squad.

“Everyone at some point has stepped up and come up with a big hit for us,” Volk said. “It’s nice to have the home runs but the most impressive thing about this team has been their ability to just get a single after single after single to drive in runs. It’s been fun to watch.”

UW-W now improves to 8-0 in WIAC play and 22-6 overall. The team will continue its season when it hosts a doubleheader against Illinois Wesleyan University April 19 in Whitewater. First pitch is set for a 2:30 p.m start.