The Eastern Michigan University softball team took on the University of Wisconsin Badgers in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader.
The game also marked the beginning of four games in two days for both teams. Unfortunately, game one did not go the Eagles’ way, as the Badgers took the opener 7-2.
Lauren Wells (0-6) was saddled with the loss for EMU (8-9). She lasted 1.2 innings for the Eagles, giving up seven runs (six of them earned) on seven hits while striking out none and walking three.
Lindsay Rich pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief. She struck out four batters while walking two and scattering three hits.
For the Badgers (20-3), Meghan McIntosh (5-2) earned the win. Fresh off a no-hitter last week, she threw a complete game Friday. McIntosh gave up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits. She struck out 11 Eagle batters while only walking one.
A two-run home run in the top of the first by senior Nellie Coquillard accounted for the only EMU runs of the game.
Wisconsin scored one in the bottom of the first and six in the second to easily put the Eagles away.
Coquillard, fellow senior Courtney Nicholson and sophomore Amanda Herron all had two hits for the Eagles, while senior Katy Blaharski and freshman Mady Hostetler had one hit each.
For the Badgers, Mary Massei had three hits while seven other batters had one hit each.
In game two of Friday’s doubleheader, the Eagles took on the University of Louisville Cardinals. The Eagles fell by a score of 6-1.
Senior Jenna Ignowski (4-2) got the start for EMU (8-10), getting the loss. She lasted five innings and gave up six runs, all earned, on 10 hits and struck out one while walking two.
Sophomore Lindsay Rich threw a perfect inning in relief.
Caralisa Connell (14-2) got the win for Louisville (22-3). She went the distance, giving up one run on two hits while striking out 10 EMU batters and walking one.
Jordan Trimble hit a home run with one out in the bottom of the first for Louisville. The Cardinals scored one in the fourth inning, one in the fifth and three in the sixth to seal the win.
The only run for EMU came in the top of the seventh when Herron doubled to right center field, scoring Nicholson, but it was too little, too late.
Saturday fared little better for the Eagles as the team took on Wisconsin for the second time in as many days. The Badgers shut out the Eagles by 9-0 in five innings.
Ignowski (4-3) took the loss for EMU. She lasted 2.1 innings, giving up eight runs on 10 hits, while striking out four and walking one.
Wells threw 2.2 innings in relief, giving up one run on three hits. She struck out one and issued a free pass to two batters.
Taylor-Paige Stewart (4-0) got the win for Wisconsin. She pitched all five innings, holding EMU scoreless while giving up four hits, walking four and striking out three.
Wisconsin scored its first run on a double-steal to start off a six-run second inning. The Badgers added two more runs in the third inning and one more in the fifth, sealing EMU’s fate.
In the final game of the weekend for EMU, the team took on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
UNC finished off the Eagles by 10-2 in five innings.
Rich (4-3) took the loss for EMU (8-12). She only lasted 1.2 innings, giving up six runs (one earned)
on three hits while striking out one and walking one.
Ignowski went the rest of the way for EMU, giving up four runs on six hits while walking two batters. She failed to strike out any.
Ashley Bone (4-1) got the win for the Tar Heels (19-10). She went the distance, giving up two runs on seven hits. She struck out six and walked two.
Hostetler got the scoring started for EMU with an RBI single in the top of the second, scoring freshman Cassidy Jenkins.
The bottom of the second was a nightmare for the Eagles. After giving up a run on a double-steal and an error by Nicholson, the Tar Heels scored an unearned run on an error from freshman Abby Davidson. Haileigh Dickey hit a three-run home run for UNC and Tracy Chandless capped off the six-run frame with an RBI double.
Herron added an RBI single in the top of the fifth, scoring Hostetler, but UNC scored in the bottom half on a wild pitch from Ignowski, an RBI single from Kati Causey and an RBI foul-out from Dickey.
The Eagles return home March 27 to take on the Oakland University Grizzlies in a doubleheader.
First pitch for game one is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
