UW-Stout 8, UW-Superior 6 |
UW-Stout 7, UW-Superior 6
MANKATO, Minn (February 27, 2021) -
Meghan Kelly and
Kayli Pfeffer each drove in four runs and
Korin Hall when 7-for-9 on the day and scored seven runs as UW-Stout opened the softball season with a sweep over UW-Superior, 8-6, 7-6, Saturday at the Minnesota State University, Mankato Dome.
Offense was at a premium for both teams as Stout (2-0) pounded out 29 hits over the two games and the Yellowjackets (0-2) 18. Stout had four doubles and Superior had five doubles and a triple. After almost a year away from competition, the teams combined for 13 errors, five for Stout, eight for Superior.
In the opener, Superior broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. Stout appeared to break open the game with a five-run effort. Kelly drove in a run with a double,
Ashley Jacobson and
Michala Belter each drove in a run and Pfeffer had a two-run single as Stout took an 8-4 lead.
The Yellowjackets tagged reliever Maddie Kleinschmidt for two runs in the top of the seventh. Kleinschmidt gave up a lead-off triple, before forcing a long line drive out to left field. An error brought the runner home. A groundout allowed the runner to second and a single plated another run to make it 8-6 with a runner on second. Kleinschmidt ended the game on a strikeout to the potential tying run to pick up the win.
Hall was 3 for 4, and Kelly, Jacobson and
Kelly Beck each had two hits.
In the second game, Stout built a 6-0 lead by scoring in each of the three first innings. Hall scored in the first inning, then drove in a run in the second inning. After freshman
Taylor Mancl led off the second inning with a single, Hall drove her home. Pfeffer blasted a two-run double later in the inning to give Stout a 4-0 lead. Kelly drove in two runs in the third inning with a single.
The Yellowjackets tagged, but didn't chase Stout starter
Melea Bruns for six runs in the bottom of the third. Superior pounded out six hits and took advantage of a Stout error.
Bruns gave up a lead off single in the fourth and a second batter reached on an error.
Mackensie Wolterstorff came on for Bruns and put out the fire, recording two strikeouts in the inning and threw out the lead off runner for the third out.
Stout gave Wolterstorff the win in the top of the fifth when
Shannon Jones drove in Hall for what would prove to be the game-winning run.
And Wolterstorff earned the win, striking out two batters in both the fifth and the sixth innings, allowed a base runner in the bottom of the seventh, but recorded a strikeout for the final out of the game.
Hall was 4 for 5 with four runs scored in the game. Kelly, Jones, Mancl and Beck each had two hits.
Wolterstorff allowed two hits over four innings of work, allowing no runs, striking out eight and walking none.
The wins were coach
Becky Iaccino's 100th career wins. Her overall record over seven seasons is 100-94. This is Iaccino's sixth season at Stout and her Stout record is 82-76. Iaccino was the head coach at Marian College in Fond du Lac for one season before coming to Stout.
The Blue Devils are off until March 20 when they travel to the University of St. Thomas.
