By Chris Lindeke
Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Saturday, May 8, 2021
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team increased its active win streak to 10 games and wrapped up a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship Saturday with a pair of victories at UW-River Falls.
The Warhawks (26-8 overall, 10-4 WIAC) have now won four straight conference titles, six of the last seven and a league-high 14 all time. They topped the Falcons 10-6 in the first game before taking the second by a 14-1 score by run rule in seven innings.
In Game 1, UW-Whitewater plated four runs in the third inning and five in the fourth to take control of the contest. Catcher Nikki Mikosz tied a school record with seven runs batted in, including a three-run homer to left field in the third and a three-run triple to center field in the fourth. Both hits came with two outs in the inning.
Third baseman Meg Cohrs hit a solo homer and finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Centerfielder Vera Pflugradt posted two hits, three runs scored and one RBI, and right fielder Taylor Briehl tallied two hits and two runs scored.
Pitcher Kate Cleveland improved to 9-3 on the year after tossing three innings of relief. Marissa Adams pitched the final 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run.
The Warhawks broke the second game open with six runs in the top of the second inning and added four more each in the fourth and fifth frames.
Pitcher Rhiann Dick limited UW-River Falls (11-17, 5-9) to one unearned run on four hits and totaled four strikeouts.
Second baseman Delaney Becker was one of six UW-W players to finish with multiple hits, recording three to go along with one run scored and two RBIs. Cohrs collected two hits, one run scored and three RBIs, and Briehl and designated player Sophia Kinjerski each contributed two hits, one run scored and two RBIs.
Shortstop Meghan Dunning homered and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Pflugradt scored three runs and added one hit and one RBI, and first baseman Kaleigh O’Brien tallied two hits, two runs scored and one RBI.
UW-Whitewater will be the No. 2 seed in next week’s WIAC Tournament and host UW-River Falls in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at van Steenderen Softball Complex.
