Whitewater clinches second straight WIAC softball title

By GAZETTE STAFF Friday, April 24, 2009

WHITEWATER — WHITEWATER

UW-Whitewater got its revenge and a second straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball championship here Friday.

The seventh-ranked Warhawks shut out second-place UW-Eau Claire (10-4) twice, 4-0 and 2-0, in a rematch of last year’s NCAA Division III national finalists to complete a 16-0 sweep through the conference and clinch the undisputed title.

Jessica Stang pitched a three-hitter for Whitewater in the opener against the Blugolds, who captured the national championship with a nine-inning victory over Warhawks last May. Stacy Bahr and Stang added the finishing touches by combining for a one-hitter in Friday’s second game at van Steenderen Field.

Whitewater took control for the opener with a three-run first inning. The Warhawks got their first run on an error, and Amanda LeBeau doubled home two more, then doubled the final run into scoring position in the sixth.

Stang scattered three singles in pushing her season record to 15-1. Orfordville Parkview graduate Amy Gahl of the Warhawks went 2-for-3 in extending her hitting streak to 12 games.

Bahr (9-1) pitched five hitless innings in winning the second game, and Stang got her fifth save with two innings of one-hit relief.

Whitewater got single runs in the second and third innings to account for all the scoring. Nicole Bothun’s second-inning RBI gave the Warhawks the only run they needed.

The Warhawks, 31-3 overall, play Alma (Mich.) at noon and Wheaton at 2 p.m. today at Wheaton, Ill. They complete the regular season at home Tuesday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Elmhurst (Ill.).

Whitewater will be the No. 1 seed in the WIAC tournament, which will be hosted by UW-Superior next weekend. The tournament champion gets an automatic NCAA bid.

(First Game)

WHITEWATER 4, EAU CLAIRE 0

UW-Eau Claire 000 000 0—0 3 1

UW-Whitewater 300 001 x—4 7 1

Meinen and Kidnie; Stang and Yucuis.

Leading hitters—Gahl (W) 2x3, LeBeau (W) . 2B—LeBeau.

SO—Stang (W) 5. BB—Meinen 1.

(Second Game)

WHITEWATER 2, EAU CLAIRE 0

UW-Eau Claire 000 000 0—0 1 1

UW-Whitewater 011 000 x—2 7 0

Sturm and Kidnie; Bahr, Stang (6) and Yucuis.

Leading hitter—McDonnell (W) 2x3. 2B—Gersich (W), LeBeau (W).

SO—Sturm (EC) 1, Stang (W) 2. BB—Sturm 3, Bahr 3.

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