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Softball – Tuesday, April 18 Guckenberger Continues Outstanding Season With Four-Hitter in Split Freshman pitcher Karen Guckenberger continued her outstanding debut season with the UW-Stevens Point softball team, firing her fourth shutout of the season – a four-hitter in a 1-0 win over UW-Oshkosh – to improve to 12-0 and help the Pointers split a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday at McCarty Field. UW-Oshkosh (16-16, 1-5 WIAC) won the opening game 4-3 in dramatic fashion, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh and then holding off a Pointer rally in the bottom of the inning for its first conference victory. In the nightcap, Guckenberger allowed only a pair of hits in the first inning and two more hits in the sixth inning. The South Milwaukee native lowered her season earned run average to 0.83 with the victory. UW-Stevens Point (18-7-1, 2-2) gave Guckenberger the only run she needed in the second inning when Kimberly Grubba was hit by a pitch to open the inning and scored on a one-out double by Carrie Hermsen. The Pointers also were stymied by a freshman pitcher as UW-Oshkosh’s Loni Ovans held UW-Stevens Point to five hits. In the opener, the Pointers’ Sarah Berg broke a 1-1 tie with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning with her first home run of the season, a solo blast to centerfield. However, the Titans loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with one out against UW-Stevens Point pitcher Jamie Lowney. Guckenberger came on in relief and surrendered a two-run double to Brenda Feucht and an RBI single by Robin Schmidt as the Titans took a 4-2 lead. The Pointers had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh when Titans’ pitcher Jane Kalata uncorked a wild pitch. Pinch-runner Jill Van Wychen scored from third base, but pinch-runner Carrie Hermsen advanced to third and rounded the base too far. Schmidt, the Titans catcher, retrieved the ball and threw out Hermsen, the potential tying run, sliding back to third. Berg had two of the Pointers’ five hits, finishing two-for-three. UW-Stevens Point will host the Pointer Invitational Thursday and Friday. The Pointers face UW-La Crosse in the opening game at 1 p.m. Thursday. UW-Eau Claire and Calvin (Mich.) will also participate. |
Guckenberger Throws Shutout in Split with UW-Oshkosh