UW-Stout took the lead with a pair of fourth-inning runs and held on to defeat UW-Oshkosh, 5-4, in a second-round contest of the WIAC Softball Championship played Saturday (May 3) in Menomonie.

UW-Oshkosh, which also suffered a 4-0 loss to UW-Eau Claire on Friday (May 2), was ousted from the six-team, double-elimination tournament with its setback to UW-Stout. The Titans ended their first season under head coach Scott Beyer with a 23-11 record.

UW-La Crosse (23-12), UW-Stout (27-11) and UW-Whitewater (29-8) are the three teams still alive in the tournament. UW-Whitewater is the lone unbeaten squad and will play UW-La Crosse or UW-Stout for the title on Sunday (May 4). The winner of the tournament receives the WIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.

UW-Stout took a 1-0 lead on Kaitlin Starks' home run in the first inning. Courtesy of two UW-Oshkosh errors, the Blue Devils extended their lead to 3-0 with a pair of second-inning runs.

UW-Oshkosh used four hits and one error to score four times in the third inning. The frame featured run-scoring doubles by Kassie Krueger and Emily Mallek.

The Titans threatened in the fourth inning, but pitcher Sara Mueller got Lindsey Luedke to pop up with the bases loaded.

UW-Stout scored the game's decisive runs during its half of the fourth. Following two hits, an error allowed both Blue Devil runs to score.

Mueller retired the Titans in order during the fifth and seventh innings and worked out of a minor threat in the sixth.

UW-Oshkosh tallied eight hits, including two from both Katie Koepsel and Hayden Krueger. UW-Stout counted 10 hits, with three belonging to Stark and a pair to both Liz Seipel and Taylor Workman.

Jill Vondrak (12-7) took the pitching loss for UW-Oshkosh. She allowed 10 hits, but just one earned run. Vondrak struck out seven batters without a walk.

Mueller earned the pitching win. She allowed three hits without a run over the final 4.2 innings. Nicole Rogers started on the mound for the Blue Devils and threw into the third inning.