Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 UW-Stout 4, UW-La Crosse 2 |
UW-Stout 7, UW-La Crosse 5 |
Photo Gallery
MENOMONIE (April 29, 2012) -
Laura Vanderhoof (So, Mankato, Minn) recorded two wins as UW-Stout came from behind twice to sweep UW-La Crosse, 4-2, 7-5, to secure the team's first bid to the WIAC tournament since the 2009 season.
Vanderhoof pitched a complete first game, scattering nine hits and giving up one earned run. The Eagles scored five runs in the third inning of the second game and Vanderhoof entered the fray with the bases loaded. She went on to pitch 4.2 innings, striking out three and allowing one earned run, not giving up a run after the third inning.
In the opener, La Crosse (20-13, 5-9 WIAC) loaded the bases in the second inning and got to Vanderhoof for one run, but she pitched out of a bases loaded jam. Stout tied the game in the bottom of the inning when
Sam Hastings (So, Waukesha) got herself in a rundown between first and second, allowing
Erin Moss (Jr, Munster, Ind) to score from third.
Stout (18-20, 8-8 WIAC) tallied three runs in the bottom of the third, with a five-hit attack as
Courtney Richardson (So, Miltona, Minn),
Alison Gray (Jr, St. Cloud, Minn) and
Taylor Workman (Fr, Prior Lake, Minn) each drove in a run.
The Eagles scored a run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead in half, The Eagles threatened in the top of the seventh with back-to-back lead off runs. Vanderhoof forced three consecutive pop fly balls - including an over-the-shoulder-as-she-falls catch by third baseman
Hannah Sweet (So, Elk River, Minn) for the final out of the game.
Stout took the lead in the second game when Moss hit a two-out double, then came all the way around when Hastings reached on a throwing error.
The Eagles rallied for a five-run third inning - their only runs of the game - taking advantage of two Blue Devil errors. The Eagles worked bunts to perfection, scoring twice on squeeze plays.
Stout answered back with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to pull to within 5-4, as Gray, Sweet and Moss each drove in a run. Stout took the lead in the second when Gray drove in
Sammy Peterson (Sr, Hudson) and Richardson came home on the same play on a throwing error.
The Blue Devils padded their lead in the fifth as Moss, hitting in the sixth spot, drove in her second run of the game, this time on a double.
Gray was 3-for-4 with two RBI in the second game, while Moss was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in.
Vanderhoof did not have gaudy numbers in the circle. She scattered nine hits in the first game, then allowed four in the second game. She notched one strikeout with three walks in the opener, then reversed that with three punchouts and one walk in the second game. In each game, she managed to work out of bases loaded situations.
Stout will close out the regular season Tuesday, May 1 when they host Hamline University at 4 p.m. The WIAC Championships are scheduled for May 4-6 in Eau Claire.
