Molly Tumanic

When freshman Rachel Paulus stepped up to bat in the 10th inning of the Blugolds’ second game with UW-Superior Tuesday, she had two things on her mind: She wanted to ensure a Blugold victory, and she wanted to get in from the frigid Superior air.

She accomplished both goals.

Paulus knocked in the final run to give the ‘Golds a 3-1 nightcap victory over the Yellowjackets, helping the Blugolds split their doubleheader. Eau Claire dropped its first game 5-3.

The second game had been tied at 1-1 since the fifth inning.

Superior was able to get on the board first, snatching one run in the first inning. Eau Claire senior Emilee Planert scored her team’s first run in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game.

Then the stalemate began.

The teams’ defenses controlled the action until the top of the 10th inning, when freshman Amber Haack gave the ‘Golds the lead. With the bases loaded, Haack hit a ball that was booted by the Superior shortstop, allowing a run to score.

“I thought to myself, ‘Just get a base hit, just put the ball on the ground and make a play,’ ” Haack said.

She said the pressure to make a play was especially intense because of a failed opportunity in the eighth inning.

“We knew we could beat them,” Paulus said. “We just had to play like we knew (we could).”

Freshman Mallory McKinney helped ensure the Blugolds’ win on the mound. She allowed just two hits over the final 4 and 2/3 innings of the nightcap.

McKinney also led the Blugolds in hitting, going 3-for-4. Other leading hitters for Eau Claire included Planert and senior Beth Stewart, who each picked up two hits.

The Blugolds didn’t fare as well in their opener with Superior.

The game started off according to plan, as the ‘Golds scored three runs before the end of the sixth inning.

Freshman Heidi Bohl slammed a two-run single in the top of the fourth to give the ‘Golds their first lead.

Sophomore Steph Farenbaugh popped up a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, adding the final run to Eau Claire’s tally.

However, things fell apart in the bottom of the sixth, when the Yellowjackets cashed in five runs, on four singles and one walk.

The split did not impact UW-Eau Claire’s second place standing in the WIAC. The women are now 18-13 overall and 9-3 in the WIAC.

The Blugolds will travel to Winona, Minn., today to face St. Mary’s University.