UW-Stout 9, UW-Whitewater 5 |
Photo GalleryEAU CLAIRE (May 1, 2015) - Before the game, UW-Stout assistant coach
Lynn Johnson told a spectator the Blue Devils would have to get runs early to defeat second seeded UW-Whitewater in the first round of the WIAC Championship. The Blue Devils did just that, jumping out to an early lead on their way to a 9-5 win over the Warhawks Friday at Carson Park.
Rachel Thomas (Fr, Hastings, Minn) continued to stay hot and set the tone for the Blue Devils, smashing a lead-off home run to right center field. The Blue Devills (16-25) followed up with a five-run third inning and held a 6-0 lead before the Warhawks (32-7) got their first run in the bottom of the fourth. Whitewater added three more runs in the fifth to pull to within 6-4, but Stout answered back with two runs in the sixth and an insurance run in the seventh. The Warhawks added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little, too late.
In the third, Thomas led off with a single to centerfield, then moved to second when
Lynzi Knudtson (Sr, Melrose) beat out a bunt for a single.
Tori Workman (Jr, Prior Lake, Minn) singled to center to load the bases.
Taylor Workman's (Sr, Prior Lake, Minn) ground out brought home Thomas.
Beth Wood (Fr, Mineral Point) placed the ball into center to plate Knudtson.
Liz Seipel (So, Altoona) put down a bunt single to third base to bring
Tori Workman home.
Karley Wiensch (Jr, Chippewa Falls0 took advantage of shallow play to drop the ball over the centerfielder's head and scored two, sending starting pitcher Bekka Houda to the dugout.
The Warhawks got on the board in the fourth inning when Mallory Klotz's bases loaded foul ball was turned to a sacrifice fly. Whitewater put up three runs in the fifth inning. Paige Evangelista hit a two-run double and Caitlin Snyder hit a a run scoring single.
The Blue Devils answered with two runs in the sixth inning. when
Tori Workman drove in Thomas on a double and
Taylor Workman singled to right field to bring
Tori Workman home. Stout added a run in the seventh inning on a double steal with
Nicole Rogers (Jr, Brooklyn Center, Minn) drawing the throw when she meandered between first and second and Seipel beat the throw to the plate.
Whitewater scored what amounted to a consolation run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Stout overcame two errors.
Blue Devil pitcher
Tori Workman did not make the game easy on herself. The Warhawks had the lead off hitter on in every inning, but the Warhawks stranded 10 runners, at least one in every inning and two in the second, third and fourth innings.
Workman allowed eight hits, four earned runs, but struck out six, including the final out of the game.
Stout finished the game with four errors, but only the errors in the seventh inning turned into a run.
The Warhawks dropped down into the loser's bracket to face top seeded UW-Eau Claire. The Blugolds were tripped up by UW-River Falls, 1-0, marking the first time since 1996 that the top two seeds dropped their first round games in the championship. Whitewater took Eau Claire out of the tournament with a 6-4 win later in the afternoon.
Stout will face UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, May 2 at noon. The Titans defeated UW-La Crosse, 4-1.
Â
