04/17/07

St. Scholastica dropped the second game of a home doubleheader against No. 5 UW-Eau Claire on Tuesday afternoon at Kenwood field. The 4-0 loss gave the Blugolds (19-7) a sweep of the Saints (8-12) in their home-opener.

Eau Claire jumped ahead quickly with two runs in the top of the first inning but were prevented from an even bigger inning when Erica Kozacek picked up a line drive single down the left field line and relayed it to third baseman Mary Jo McNamee who was able to pick off a Blugold runner at second with a quick throw to Kristin Swartz.

Saints starter Rilee Dawson settled in over the next two innings and allowed only one hit to help keep her team close.

Offensively, the Saints were having trouble solving Eau Claire starter Mallory McKinney who allowed only one hit -- an Erica Kozacek triple in the second -- over the first four innings.

Kozacek opened the fifth with a lead-off double and made it to third on a ground out by Krystal Kinney, but couldn't get the final 60 feet to cut the Blugolds lead in half.

Eau Claire pushed a run across in the fifth, and then the seventh inning to increase their lead to four runs, and McKinney continued to stump the Saints batters into the final inning to preserve the 4-0 score.

Dawson and Kozacek, who finished 3-for-3, hit back-to-back one out singles and moved up a base on a passed ball but the late rally would end there as Eau Claire's McKinney picked up the final two outs to close out the win.

Dawson (5-6) pitched seven innings in the loss and allowed four runs on nine hits and five walks while striking out seven. McKinney moved to 8-4 on the year after allowing five hits and no walks with seven strikeouts.