Titans Strike Down Warriors, Oles To Conclude Florida Swing

Kassie Krueger (So. • Plover) posted her second walk-off hit of the week as UW-Oshkosh earned softball wins over Hendrix College (Ark.) and St. Olaf College (Minn.) on Friday (March 23) in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Titans (10-4) used Krueger's eighth-inning single to defeat Hendrix, 3-2. Julie Sweeney (Fr. • Arlington Heights, Ill.) then opened with five no-hit innings for a 4-2 decision over St. Olaf (8-6). UW-Oshkosh ended its Florida trip with an 8-2 record.

During game one, the Warriors (8-7) scored on a stolen base attempt and double play to go ahead, 2-0. The Titans answered in the fourth frame with a Hayley Freimuth (Sr. • Combined Locks) sacrifice fly. Tess Fadness (So. • Eau Claire) later tripled in a run during the fifth to tie the game.

Courtney Wautier (Jr. • Brussels) didn't allow a hit over the final three innings to shut down the Warriors. In the bottom of the eighth, Krueger ripped her single up the middle with one out to score Julia Burns (Sr. • Verona).

Both pitchers threw a complete game, with Wautier tossing eight frames of four-hit ball with one earned run. Lauren Whitby surrendered three runs (one earned) on eight hits.

The two squads combined for just five hits in the nightcap. UW-Oshkosh did all its damage in the second inning with four runs on three hits and three St. Olaf errors. Krueger knocked in the first two Titans with a single to left. It then became a 4-0 margin after a fielding miscue and Kelley Koebler's (Sr. • Janesville) run-scoring bunt.

In the sixth, the Oles began with a hit batter, single, double steal and walk. A wild pitch allowed Julie Fergus to score. Christiania Miller tacked on a RBI single to make it 4-2 before UW-Oshkosh nailed a runner at the plate to end the threat.

Sweeney got the victory, going 5.1 innings with two runs allowed. Wautier tossed a perfect final frame to obtain the save. For St. Olaf, Jessica Green (loss) pitched all six innings while walking three and striking out four.

The Titans' remaining hits were second-inning singles by Sweeney and Katie Koepsel (Fr. • Oak Creek). Maggie Scholer booked one of the Oles' two singles.

UW-Oshkosh heads to Moline, Ill. for games with Cornell College (Iowa) and Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Saturday (March 31).