It was a week of ups and downs for the UW-Whitewater softball team, as the Warhawks dropped four-straight conference games before bouncing back with a doubleheader sweep on senior day at Van Steenderen Softball Complex.
Whitewater opened the stretch against UW-Oshkosh, a top-20 opponent, April 21, and stayed competitive throughout despite falling in both games by identical 5-2 scores. In the opener, the Warhawks set the tone early, pushing across two runs in the second inning with aggressive baserunning and situational execution. A squeeze bunt and an infield knock helped UW-W grab the early advantage before Oshkosh responded later in the game.
The Titans tied things up in the fourth inning, and took control with a three-run home run in the fifth. Whitewater had one final opportunity in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but couldn’t come up with the timely hit. Senior outfielder Bella Eggert led the offense with two hits, while junior pitcher Josie Hammen struck out five in the circle. Junior pitcher Madi DeBennette was sharp in relief, allowing just one hit over the final two innings.
Game two followed a similar pattern, with Oshkosh jumping out in front before the Warhawks tried to claw back. Whitewater strung together quality at-bats in the fifth inning, collecting three-straight hits to load the bases and bring in a pair of runs. Still, missed opportunities proved costly, as UW-W left 12 runners on base.
(Charlie Clark)
The Warhawks returned to action the following day against UW-Stout, but ran into similar issues. In game one, Whitewater fell 5-1 despite a strong performance from freshman infielder Rachel Radish, who recorded a pair of doubles. Hammen added six strikeouts, but the offense couldn’t break through in key moments.
In the nightcap, Stout built an early lead and held on for a 7-3 win. Whitewater showed flashes offensively, including a three-run inning sparked by Radish, sophomore catcher Dani Peshia and freshman infielder Baley Berndt, but again couldn’t fully close the gap. Defensively, senior outfielder Liv Ybarra delivered one of the highlights of the week with a full-extension diving catch in right field.
“It felt unreal,” Ybarra said. “I just trusted that my teammates had my back, so I went all out for it.”
Across the doubleheader, the Warhawks stranded 15 runners, a trend that carried through the midweek stretch. Despite that, the approach at the plate remained consistent.
“I was just trying to put my past mistakes behind me and take it one pitch at a time,” Radish said. “I wanted to attack pitches I knew I could handle and not chase too much.”
That mindset paid off to close the week, as Whitewater flipped the script against UW-River Falls on senior day. In game one, the Warhawks turned an early deficit into a 6-2 win, highlighted by a three-run home run from Radish in the third inning.
Radish finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored, leading an offense that capitalized on opportunities. Hammen earned the win with six strikeouts, while senior pitcher Brooke Hock shut things down late.
Whitewater carried that momentum into game two and never looked back. The Warhawks exploded for a 10-0, five-inning run-rule victory, powered by home runs from Peshia and senior shortstop Emma Giese. A six-run third inning put the game out of reach early, as UW-W combined timely hits with aggressive baserunning.
Peshia, Giese and senior outfielder Belle Lapacek each recorded multiple hits, with Peshia and Giese driving in five runs combined. Freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Marsh handled the pitching duties, scattering three hits over 4.2 innings before Hock came in to finish things off.
The late-week turnaround showed the kind of response the Warhawks were looking for after a frustrating start to WIAC play.
“The biggest adjustment is that every team is good,” Radish said. “You have to be ready and play your best every game.”
With the regular season winding down, Whitewater will look to carry that energy and execution forward as conference play continues. The Warhawks are back in action April 29, as they head to UW-Platteville for a doubleheader.
