Blue Devils down Titans, bow out with loss to Eagles

UW-Stout 2, UW-Oshkosh 1 | UW-La Crosse 9, UW-Stout 2

WHITEWATER (May 6, 2017) - UW-Stout simply did not want the season to end.

After a come-from-behind 2-1 win over UW-Oshkosh (30-11) on the second day of the WIAC Softball Championship, the Blue Devils (18-24)  found themselves down 8-0 in the fifth inning to UW-La Crosse, facing elimination on the eight-run rule.

Stout extended the game into the sixth inning with a run, but La Crosse (28-12) came back in the top of the sixth to stretch the lead again to eight runs, 9-1, but the Blue Devils answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning to head into the seventh inning, trailing 9-2. But the magic was gone and the Blue Devils went down in order in the seventh, and the season came to a close in a semi-final conference game.

The Blue Devils opened the day in the first elimination game of the day with the Titans. Beth Wood was making her third start of the tournament and the Titans got to her in the second inning when Kaitlin Krol would hit a lead-off home for a 1-0 Oshkosh lead.

Hits were hard to come by for both team - each team would get four hits - and Stout needed to overcome three errors, two alone in the sixth inning. But Wood pitched out of the jam.

Stout got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning and it would be Wood with the heroics. Kim Jablonski reached on a one-out single then, following a flyout, moved to third on Kyncaide Diedrich's single. Wood stepped to the plate and blasted a double, driving home both Jablonski and Diedrich.

The Titans' Erika Berry opened the seventh inning with a bunt single, then moved on Amanda McIlhaney's sacrifice. Wood forced two flyouts to end the game and Stout would have a quick turnaround to face second seeded La Crosse in the next game.

The Eagles jumped out to 4-0 lead with two runs in each the first and second innings, then doubled the score with a four-run fourth inning. The Blue Devils got on the board in the fifth inning when Katelyn Schobert, who led off the inning with a single, eventually scored when Rachel Thomas reached on an infield error.

The Eagles added another run in the sixth, but left the bases loaded, to take a 9-1 lead. Stout answered with a run in the sixth when Kaylee Francois doubled in McKayla Brunner. But that would be it and the Blue Devils' season was over.

La Crosse outhit Stout, 11-5 with five Eagle players recording two hits. Stout committed four errors, while La Crosse had two.

The games were the final collegiate games for seniors Brunner, Heather Bol, Kim Jablonski and Mariah Diercks.

The Eagles will play UW-Whitewater Sunday, May 7 at 10 a.m. in the championship game and the NCAA automatic bid. If the Eagles win, they would force a second championship game at noon.

WIAC Softball Championship Schedule