MILWAUKEE – The Mount Mary University and Wisconsin Lutheran College campuses are just over three miles apart. The Warrior Athletic Complex is almost exactly halfway between the schools.
When the Blue Angels and Warriors clashed for west-side bragging rights on Wednesday, it was host WLC taking two from MMU, 8-3 and 21-2 (5 innings).
It was a tale of two faces for Mount Mary (3-23), who played some great softball in the opener. Junior Katie Edwards (Mackinaw, Ill.) threw a great game in the circle, seeing just 33 batters over the span of seven innings.
Wisconsin Lutheran (17-13) got things started by scoring two runs in the first and another in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Mount Mary had several opportunities to score early, but finally broke through in the third. Senior Katie Wolk (Oshkosh, Wis.) doubled to left and advanced to third on a wild pitch—the third straight inning MMU put a runner 60 feet from home. This time, Edwards sent a blast to left to score Wolk for the Blue Angels' first run. Edwards would be sacrificed to second by freshman Harmony French (Amherst, Wis.) but be stranded there to end the threat.
The Warriors responded with a run in the bottom of the third before both defenses hung for a scoreless fourth inning. The top of the fifth started with a single up the middle by sophomore Nicole Weggen (Menomonee Falls, Wis.). Wolk doubled for the second straight at-bat, pushing Weggen to third with one out. Edwards, as she did in the third inning, came up clutch with a 2-RBI double down the left field line to pull the Angels to a 4-3 deficit after the top of the fifth.
Wisconsin Lutheran added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning to create some space, then added three more in the bottom of the sixth—two unearned—to seal a gritty 8-3 final score.
After a short break, the two teams returned for the nightcap as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped considerably. With the change of weather came a change in momentum as Mount Mary struggled on both sides of the ball in game two.
The Blue Angels earned a leadoff walk issued to freshman Lauren Wiech (Colgate, Wis.), but a lineup error turned a hit for Weggen into an out for MMU and returned Wiech back to first base. Wiech did scamper to second base on a wild pitch, however, which was just enough for Edwards to rip a deep RBI-single to left.
WLC posted a 7-run first inning, added three in the second and seven more in the third to essentially put the game away.
Wiech, who took the loss in game two, battled in the circle but racked up nine walks in four innings of work.
Mount Mary's Thursday double-header against Dominican has officially been cancelled due to make-up conflicts with the Stars' Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference schedule. As of Wednesday night, Mount Mary is still scheduled to host Cardinal Stritch University Friday morning, but stay tuned to MtMaryAthletics.com for any schedule changes as the week draws to a close.
