Errors Sink Rhode Island Against UW-Eau Claire

Blugolds Take Advantage of Seven RIC Miscues

May 18, 2007  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (36-12) took advantage of seven errors by Rhode Island College (41-6) to win the third game of the 2007 NCAA Division III Softball Championship by a 9-1 score.  UW-Eau Claire moves on in the winners’ bracket to take on Washington University-St. Louis at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.  Rhode Island will take on Plattsburgh State University at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

“Our philosophy has always been to put the ball in play and put the pressure on the defense and we did that today and it was successful,” said UW-Eau Claire head coach Leslie Huntington.  “I think they came out and played very maturely and they focused on what we needed to do.”

Blugolds hurler Mallory McKinney made only one mistake in tossing five complete innings in the shortened contest.  She gave up on two hits, one a homer to Mandy Shurgot to account for the lone Anchorwoman run.  McKinney fanned four and walked one to improve to 18-8 on the year.

UW-Eau Claire broke the game open in the third inning, putting five runs on the board in large part due to three RIC mistakes.  McKinney helped her own cause with an RBI double to left-center to bring in Casey Leisgang.  She advanced to third on an error which allowed Rachel Paulus to come in to score.  Tamara Zeman pinch ran for McKinney and crossed the dish on a dropped pop-up by the Anchorwoman shortstop.  Shannon Barone drove in the fourth run with a single to short, and Mandy Tschernach scored on an overthrow by the RIC catcher trying to compete a 5-2-3 double play.

“I think after this they’re going to turn things around,” explained Rhode Island head coach Maria Morin.  “It was a totally new experience for us and whether it was gun shy or camera shy, we’re not a seven-error team, we haven’t been a seven-error team all year long. I don’t think we’re going to do it again.  I think we’ve learned a little something from today’s game. I’m looking forward to new results tomorrow.”

Nicole Riley took the loss for Rhode Island, falling to 29-4 on the season.  She game up seven runs, four earned, on eights hits in four innings of work.  She fanned two and walked a pair.

Leisgang and McKinney each had three hits for the Blugolds.  Tschernach and Barone picked up a pair of singles each with Barone driving in a game-high three runs.  Bekki Kidnie picked up the remaining UWEC hit.