The fastpitch softball team played two games a day and had one game rain out at the competitive Rebel Games in Orlando, Fla., during spring break.

“Our schedule was real competitive,” coach Deb Steward said. “We faced plenty of quality teams. Our skills were tested every time we took the field.”

The Blugolds finished its five-day run with a couple of victories over Ramapo College (N.J.) and the College of New Jersey. The pair of wins gave the Blugolds a 6-3 record for the week and leaves them with a 10-4 mark for the season.

The ‘Golds scored three times in the top of the eighth to finish off Ramapo, 4-2. The team used a five-run inning to upend New Jersey, 5-3.

Sophomore Jessica Sharpe gave a stellar performance from the mound, holding Ramapo to four hits and walking only one.

“Ramapo was definitely one of my better games,” Sharpe said. “It was a very fun and intense game.”

Ramapo left the bases loaded in the fourth after scoring one unearned run. Eau Claire tied the game in the fifth, also with an unearned run. The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation.

The Blugolds were able to add a pair of singles and a walk to help them produce three runs and take a 4-1 lead in the top of the inning.

“We were ready to end the game when we came out after the eighth inning,” Sharpe said. “Our bats just opened up for us when we started off the tie-breaker. We came together down the stretch and stuck it out.”

Sophomore Kim Czapla earned her sixth-straight mound victory against the College of New Jersey. Czapla scattered seven hits, struck out four and didn’t give up a walk in the contest.

From the offensive side of the plate, sophomores Dinah Martin and Jannah Grinnell and senior Becky Bourne each collected a pair of hits to lead the Blugold nine-hit attack.

“(College of New Jersey) was a good hitting team,” Czapla said. “Dinah got our team going in the fourth with her bat. I just tried to throw pitches that made them hit grounders and pop-ups.”

Czapla and freshman Leah Schlegelmilch combined to retire 20 consecutive batters in leading the team to a 7-3 triumph over Millikin University (Iowa) on Thursday.

In their next game against winless Luther College (Iowa), Luther came out firing in the top of the first inning scoring six runs before the ‘Golds could get a single out. Luther’s Nicole Vermett’s grand slam capped off the big first inning. Luther went on to finish Eau Claire off, 9-3.

The ‘Golds gave up a season-high 11 hits and nine runs to Luther and also committed a season-high three errors.

Eau Claire used a three-run third to defeat St. Olaf College (Minn.), 5-2. Czapla survived despite giving up eight hits to earn the win.

Schlegelmilch made her first collegiate start against winless Trinity College (Conn.) and allowed seven hits in picking up the win. She saw three batters fan and gave up one walk.

“Schlegelmilch showed a lot of composure coming out and performing like she did as a freshman,” Steward said. “It was a chance for her to deal with adversity. It allowed her to get her feet wet.”

The Blugolds picked up 10 stolen bases for the day, twice stealing home against St. Olaf.

Coe College (Iowa) and bad weather blanked the ‘Golds on the second day of the week-long Rebel Games. Coe kept Eau Claire scoreless as it edged the ‘Golds, 2-0. Coe turned out to be the Blugolds’ only game that day on Tuesday as rain cancelled a scheduled second game against Benedictine University (Ill.).

Sharpe tossed a three-hitter against Coe, including two strikeouts and a walk. The Blugolds’ only two errors allowed one unearned run to score in the sixth after a walk, sacrifice and single provided Coe with the only run it needed to win in the fourth.

The team split its first two games of the tournament in the Rebel Games, losing to Western Connecticut State and beating Buena Vista, Iowa.

Western Connecticut improved to 3-0 this season with an 8-0 shutout that was shortened to six innings due to the eight-run rule. The Colonials were 30-9 last year and are ranked No. 17 in the NFCA Div. III preseason top 25 poll. Western Connecticut knocked three two-run homers and a pair of double plays to come away with the win.

The ‘Golds bounced back to down Buena Vista (Cali.) in 10 innings, 3-2. Each team scored one run in the eighth and one in the ninth. The ‘Golds were awarded the winning run in the top of the tenth when the Buena Vista pitcher was called for an illegal pitch with a Blugold runner at third base.

“We hit some hard-line shots in that game that were caught and the umpire made some tough calls on us,” Steward said.

A solid defensive effort from the ‘Golds kept Buena Vista scoreless in the bottom of the tenth.