Blue Devils come ever so close to a split with Whitewater

UW-Whitewater 9, UW-Stout 0 (6 inn) | UW-Whitewater 5, UW-Stout 4

MENOMONIE (April 17, 2021) - Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, freshman Katelyn Belleau ripped a bases loaded triple to right field to put UW-Stout ahead of UW-Whitewater, 4-3, but the Warhawks scored two runs in the top of the seventh to defeat the Blue Devils, 5-4, Saturday at Alumni Field.

Whitewater, which had won the first game 9-0 in six innings, scored two runs in the second inning on a Kayleigh O'Brien two-run home run and stretched the lead to 3-0 with a solo run in the fifth inning. 

Stout (3-14, 0-7 WIAC) put together the four-run sixth inning after Kaylee Peterson reached on an error. Shannon Jones moved Peterson to third. An out later, pitcher Melea Bruns scored Peterson with a sacrifice fly to right field. Stout loaded the bases and Belleau, the No. 9 batter in the order, delivered a shot the fell in front of a diving right fielder to Stout their first lead of the day. 

The Warhawks' (13-7, 3-3 WIAC) small-balled their way to runners on second and third and Meg Cohrs drove in the runs with a single to center field. 

Stout got a pair of base runners with one out in the bottom of the seventh to give themselves a chance. with back-to-back singles by Peterson and Jones. But a line-out double play ended the game. 

Jones was 3 for 4 to lead Stout. Peterson was 2 for 4. Cohrs was 2 for 4 to lead Whitewater.

Whitewater used a four-run fifth and two-run sixth inning to power their way to the first game win.  Cohrs was 3 for 3 with five RBI to lead Whitewater, Korin Hall was 2 for 3 for Stout. 

Stout returns to action Tuesday, April 20 when they travel to UW-Eau Claire for a non-conference doubleheader. Stout will be at UW-Platteville, Saturday, April 27