By Chris Lindeke
Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Saturday, May 15, 2021
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team forced a third and decisive game in the final series of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship Presented by Culver’s Saturday with a 9-0 victory in six innings at UW-Oshkosh.
After a 2-1 setback in the opener, the Warhawks (29-9 overall) posted 14 hits and held the Titans’ offense to two hits in the nightcap.
Catcher Nikki Mikosz led the offense with three hits, including a two-run homer. Outfielder Vera Pflugradt posted two hits, including a home, two runs scored and two runs batted in, and right fielder Taylor Briehl plated a pair of runs.
Third baseman Meg Cohrs tallied two hits, one run scored and one RBI, and shortstop Meghan Dunning recorded one hit and two runs scored. Left fielder Krista Sbarra finished 2-for-3 with one run scored, and first baseman Kaleigh O’Brien plated one run.
Mallory Hollatz pitched all six innings for UW-Whitewater, striking out three to improve to 4-0 for the year. She ran into trouble in the top of the fourth when the Titans (23-11) had runners at second and third with one out and the bases loaded with two outs, but induced a flyout to end the frame.
In the opener, UW-Oshkosh scored on a UW-W error in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead, but Mikosz plated Pflugradt with one out in the sixth to tie the game at 1-1.
The game went to extra innings after neither team pushed a run across in the seventh.
In the eighth, the Warhawks left two runners on base, and UW-Oskhosh scored on a two-out double to snap UW-W’s 12-game winning streak entering the day.
Pitcher Rhiann Dick took the tough luck loss, falling to 7-5 on the season. She struck out three batters and scattered five hits over 7 2/3 innings.
Sunday’s game is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. in Oshkosh.
