The No. 13 UW-Whitewater softball team had another solid week by winning five of its six games against Illinois Wesleyan University, Carroll University, and UW-Oshkosh.
The Warhawks split its doubleheader against Illinois Wesleyan with a 12-2 pounding, but fell the second game 14-9 April 19.
In the first game, UW-W scored seven runs in the first two innings.
Senior right fielder Haley Morelli kicked things off with an RBI single to right. Freshman third baseman Meg Cohrs, with the bases loaded, proceeded with an RBI single up the middle. Junior second baseman Michayla Swanson then directly followed up with an RBI single into
left field.
In the second inning Morelli hit another dinger, this time a three-run shot to right center that sent home junior left fielder Mallory Klotz and sophomore shortshop Kelly Berglund. It was Morelli’s 10th homer.
Morelli ended the contest with a total of four RBI’s.
UW-W scored five more runs in the fourth frame to go up 12-0.
Freshman right hander Bella Matthias improved to 10-3 on the year, allowing three hits, five walks, and four K’s.
The Warhawks began game two down 4-1 in the second inning before exploding for six runs in the same frame to lead 7-4 at the time. Three doubles were hit in the inning, all from different ’Hawks: Berglund, Klotz, and sophomore center fielder Caitlin Catino.
But the Titans would score 10 runs between the third and the seventh innings to seal the deal.
Freshman reliever Dani Biesiada took the loss and is now 3-1 on
the season.
The Warhawks swept Carroll University, 3-0 and 7-0, on April 20.
One Warhawk scored all her team’s three runs in the first game: Morelli. She first doubled in the third inning, and then jacked another shot in the fifth. All her runs scored Klotz.
Matthias improved to 11-3 by allowing just five hits, while striking out seven.
“What Haley has done for us this season has been very impressive,” UW-Whitewater head coach Brenda Volk said. “She has worked very hard all year long both on her physical skills and her mental game and I think that has really helped her.”
In the second meeting, six of the seven runs scored were all on singles.
Senior first baseman Amy Ricci first singled, scoring Catino.
Both Berglund and Catino proceeded with hits of their own in the fourth inning. Three runs were scored in that inning, with two coming from Catino and the other from Berglund.
Berglund then laced a two RBI single in the seventh, and ultimately finished with three RBI’s for
the contest.
Sophomore righty Julia Camardo notched her sixth win of the season, allowing just four hits while striking out 11.
The Warhawks scored a combined 15 runs against UW-Oshkosh while allowing just five in both contests.
UW-W began the first game down 3-0 in the third inning, then Cohrs hit a three run homer to left field.
The Titans, however, would score another run in the fourth to go
up 4-3.
But, in the sixth frame, the ’Hawks suddenly burst ahead with six runs scored in the inning. Freshman catcher Nicole Neitzel got things going for her squad with an RBI single up the middle. Klotz later doubled to center field that brought home two more Warhawks, and would eventually come home on an error from
the opponent.
Cohrs and Swanson then proceeded to each hit RBI singles of their own, with each bringing home
one score.
“I have been very happy with how our team is hitting,” Volk said. “We have been swinging at good pitches and I don’t think anyone feels the pressure to have to come up with a big hit because they know their teammate is very capable of doing it if
they don’t.”
Matthias recorded her 12th win of the year, allowing four runs on three hits with seven K’s.
The UW-W pitching staff allowed just one run in the second meeting en route to a 6-1 victory.
The Warhawks put up two early runs in the first frame on a Morelli RBI single to center. Catino later scored on a passed ball.
UW-O would get one back in the third after Natalie Dudek singled through the right side.
But the Warhawk offense kept rolling and tacked on four more runs in the fourth and fifth innings, including a solo shot to left by Neitzel. It was Neitzel’s first dinger all year.
Camardo improved to 7-2 on the season, allowing eight hits but striking out seven.
The UW-W team’s overall record now stands at 27-7, and is undefeated in WIAC play (10-0).
The Warhawks will play its three final doubleheaders next week before heading back to the WIAC tournament in the first week of May. UW-Whitewater’s next doubleheader is at Carthage College April 25. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
“We are going to approach this week just as we have any other week,” Volk said. “The thing that I have really liked about this team this year is it doesn’t seem to matter what team we are playing.”