The UW Oshkosh softball team took down UW-La Crosse 4-2 in extra innings in the second round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament May 10 at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.
The Titans (37-3) jumped out to a 2-1 lead before the Eagles (24-19) evened the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Oshkosh retook the lead in the top of the eighth before relief pitcher Brianna Bougie blanked UWL in the bottom of the eighth to send the Eagles packing.
Bougie earned her sixth win of the season pitching 2.2 innings of relief and allowing just one hit. Sydney Nemetz started the game for UWO, going 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five batters.
The Titans, ranked No. 18 in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, were led by first baseman Hanna Ritter, who went 4-for-4 in the game with four singles and an RBI.
Oshkosh, which had 11 hits in the contest, opened up the scoring in the first inning when Ritter singled through the right side, scoring Sydney Rau from third base.
La Crosse tied the score after an RBI double, but the Titans retook the lead when Brianna Davis singled to third base, scoring Mia Crotty to give UWO a 2-1 advantage.
The Eagles responded with a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2 and sent the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Sophie Wery gave UWO the lead after the singled to left field, scoring Haylie Whittman. The Titans added an insurance run to go up 4-2 when Morgan Rau reached on a fielder’s choice and Zoe Malone scored on a La Crosse throwing error. Bougie shut down the Eagles in the final frame to give Oshkosh its 37th win of the season.
The Titans, the top seed in the WIAC Tournament, will take on UW-Stout in Oshkosh’s next game in the tournament at 4:30 p.m. May 10 at UW-Oshkosh Softball Park.
