UE faces Illinois and Louisville on Sunday
Haley Woolf hit two home runs over the course of Saturday’s doubleheader to lead the University of Evansville softball team to a split. After rallying for a 7-5 win over Oakland, UE dropped a 9-1 decision to Northwestern at the Red & Black Challenge.
A 4-run sixth inning was the difference for the Purple Aces in the first game of the day versus Oakland. Trailing the Grizzlies by a 5-3 margin entering the frame, UE rallied for the victory. Oakland jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second. After a single run in the first, the Grizzlies plated two more. UE’s score came on a Haley Woolf home run.
Oakland added two more in the third to extend their advantage to 5-1. That is when the Evansville rally began. In the top half of the fourth, Alyssa Barela got it started, drawing a leadoff walk. Toni Galas entered to pinch run and scored on a Woolf double. Lindsay Renneisen added the second double of the inning for UE to put runners on second and third with one out. Making her first start with the Aces, Bella Coffey got the job done, grounding out to short to score Woolf. It was her first RBI of the season.
Two innings later, the comeback was complete. Evansville loaded the bases up with one out. Jenna Lis pinch hit for Coffey and delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run. Next up was Kat Mueller, who delivered her second home run in as many weekends, bringing home three runs. Her long ball proved to be the game winner with UE taking the 7-5 decision.
While Mueller got the big hit, Erin Kleffman took care of business in the circle. Kleffman entered the game in the bottom of the fourth with her team trailing by two. The freshman threw four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit to secure her first collegiate victory. Izzy Vetter made the start, giving up five runs in three frames.
Minutes after wrapping up the first game, UE was right back on the field to face Northwestern. The Wildcats scored one in the first before the Aces countered with a run in the second. It was Haley Woolf launching her fifth home run of the season to tie the game.
Northwestern countered with a 7-spot in the bottom of the second and cruised to a 9-1 win in five innings. Jordyn Rudd had three RBI to lead the Wildcats while Rachel Lewis scored twice. Kenna Wilkey made the start for NU and gave up just one hit, that being Woolf’s homer. Emily Lockhart started the game, allowing eight runs, six earned, in two innings. Jaime Nurrenbern threw the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed one run on one hit while fanning three batters.
Two more games remain for UE in Louisville tomorrow. The day begins with a 1:30 p.m. CT game against Illinois before the Aces face Louisville at 3:45 p.m.
