Eagles defend home field against Yellowjackets

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

After being shutout in a pair of contests against UW-Platteville on Saturday, the only thing the Yellowjackets were looking to carry over into Sunday afternoon in La Crosse was the weather. Luckily for the Yellowjackets, that was the case but more than what they wanted carried over into Sunday afternoon. That happened to be a pair of shutouts, with the Eagles getting the best of the Yellowjackets by scores of 6-0 and 4-0. With the losses, the Yellowjackets find themselves down a hole in a conference season that is still young.

UW-La Crosse 6, Yellowjackets 0

Small ball was the name of the Eagles' game throughout the course of the opening five innings of game one. The Eagles got the tide running in the third inning when Katrina O'Keefe blooped a single to right field and stole second base before ending up at third base on a Yellowjacket error. This made way for a Emily Holldorf RBI single to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles tacked on another run in the fourth inning when Katie Fink hit a sharp single up the middle. She was replaced on first base with Lindsey Sheehan, who reached on a fielder's choice. Sheehan stole second before scoring on a Yellowjacket outfield error to extend the Eagle lead to 2-0.

A four run sixth inning proved to be the salt that ran deep into the Yellowjackets' wound. Alecia Faber started it for the Eagles when she reached on an error and advanced to second base on Fink's sac bunt. Sheehan followed that up with a single before moving to second base on the throw. Yellowjacket pitcher Nicolle Gross (Coleraine, Minn./Greenway) walked Greta Gumness of the intentional variety to load the bases for Jessie Carignan, who blasted a three-RBI triple to push the Eagle lead to 5-0. She later came around to score on a Yellowjacket error to make things 6-0.

Gross pitched a complete game for the Yellowjackets. She surrendered six runs on six hits while striking out five.

UW-La Crosse 4, Yellowjackets 0

Things remained the same for the Yellowjackets in game two, lack of runs and a big late inning push by the Eagles that proved to be too much for the Yellowjackets. However, a lot of promise was on display on behalf of the Yellowjackets.

A Gumness walk in the second inning set the tone for a Carignan two-run blast over the left field fence to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. From there on out, the Yellowjackets had plenty of solid opportunities to put the Eagles away, but sharply hit balls right to Eagle fielder's continued to haunt the Yellowjackets.

The Eagles continued to capitalize in the fifth inning when Fink led off with a walk followed by a Sheehan single. After each runner double stole second and third, Fink scored on a Yellowjacket error to widen the Eagle lead to 3-0.

The Eagles put the cherry on top in the sixth inning when Carignan doubled followed by a Mary Kate Pryor single. This set up a Kallie Krech fielder's choice, which brought home Carignan to make the score 4-0.

Gross and Sarah Hendrickson (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) collectively gave up four runs on nine hits on the rubber for the Yellowjackets.

The Yellowjackets (17-8, 0-4 WIAC) will return to action on Saturday, April 12 when they travel to UW-River Falls to take on the Falcons. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

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