OSHKOSH, Wis. – The Lakeland University softball team got its season off to an early start with a pair of losses to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Saturday.
The Titans prevailed by scores of 5-1 and 2-0 in the season opener for both teams. The games were played indoors at UWO's Rec Plex dome facility.
The Muskies were competitive in both contests but struggled to hit UW-Oshkosh pitching. Lakeland finished with just seven hits on the day as Titan pitchers Sydney Nemetz and Abby Freismuth both hurled complete games.
The Muskies scored their only run of the day to take a brief lead in the first game.
Hannah Nelson (
Sr.-Loves Park, Ill.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the second inning, moved to second on an error and advanced to third on a sacrifice by
Jordan August (
Jr.-Schererville, Ind.).
Abby Heitman (
So.-St. Francis, Wis.) then singled with two outs to drive in Nelson.
Oshkosh came back to take the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run double by Sophie Wery. The Titans also added two more runs in the fifth, both scored after two outs.
The second game was a briskly played pitchers' duel, finished in 1 hour, 12 minutes. Nelson pitched a complete game and allowed just one earned run but took the loss as Freismuth threw a three-hit shutout.
UWO took the lead in the second inning after Morgan Rau led off with a double and Morgan Miller followed with a single to drive her in. The Titans added another run in the fourth when Haylie Wittman singled with one out and later scored after an error.
Lakeland's best chances to score in the second game came in the second and fourth innings.
Peyton Harlow (
So.-La Porte, Ind.) singled with two outs and August followed with a double to put runners at second and third before the inning ended with a strikeout, and the Muskies also put two on in the fourth when
Maddie Raske (
Fr.-Tinley Park, Ill.) and August both walked the inning again ended with a strikeout.
August and Nelson both had two hits each on the day for Lakeland.
Madi Johnson (
Sr.-Vernon Hills, Ill.) pitched the first game and allowed five runs with two strikeouts in six innings in the loss.
Lakeland now has more than two weeks until beginning play on its spring break trip to Florida. The Muskies begin play Monday, March 11 against North Park (Ill.) University at 8:15 a.m. Central in Clermont, Fla.
