Landherr homers, Softball sweeps MSOE

Box Score (Game 1): CUW 2, MSOE 1
Box Score (Game 2): CUW 2, MSOE 1

Audio (Game 1): Listen to a recap of the game
Audio (Game 2): Listen to a recap of the game

MEQUON, Wis. - Offense was tough to come by, but the Falcons relied on pitching and defense in a pair of tightly contested 2-1 victories over MSOE Saturday afternoon. Cara Landherr drove in the first Falcons run in game one with a double to left field and then highlighted the closing game with a solo home run over the left field fence.

CUW (13-11, 8-2 NAC) worked its way out a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning of game one after giving up back-to-back singles and a walk. The series sweep kept the Falcons streak of home victories against the Raiders, which dates back to the 2000 season, intact.

Sophomore Jamie Schuh (Freedom, Wis.) fanned nine batters and gave up five hits in game one while her teammate, senior Danielle Burke (Burlington, Wis.), struck out three and allowed five base runners in the nightcap.

Junior Abbie Goetsch (Grayslake, Ill.) and freshmen Cara Landherr (Waukesha, Wis.) and Jessica Liszka (Lindenhurst, Ill.) each recorded two hits during the sweep. Landherr recorded a pair of RBI.

A trio of Raiders finished with two hits apiece, while Elise Pinkerton recorded the team's only RBI. She also recorded three total bases.

Game One Recap:

CUW began the scoring in the opening frame after Liszka reached on a double to right center field to begin the game. She was driven home after Landherr hit a double to left field off a 2-2 pitch.

The Falcons scored their other run in the second after Goetsch singled through the left side and advanced to second on a throwing error. Another throwing error allowed Goetsch to score from second base.

MSOE (3-17, 3-7 NAC) got a run back in the sixth after Sarah Altene hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Kate Klaubauf.

The Raiders made things interesting in the top of the seventh after loading the bases with two outs before Schuh induced a game-ending groundout.

Game Two Recap:

It took until the fourth inning before Landherr crushed her home run. It was her second home run of the season and eighth of her career.

MSOE tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth following a Pinkerton RBI double that went to the right center field wall. Courtney Leaf scored on the hit after reaching on a single to left field.

In the seventh the Falcons put runners at first and second following a walk and bunt single. After a lineout and a foul fly out, senior Chelsie Strosina (Burlington, Wis.) hustled home on a muffed throw in the dirt by the Raiders for the game-winning run.

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CUW returns to the diamond on Wednesday with a NAC doubleheader at Edgewood College. The Falcons and Eagles are set to begin at 3 p.m.