By Donny Nadeau
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Through the first 12 innings of their nonconference doubleheader against UW-Eau Claire Tuesday, runs came one at a time for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota fastpitch softball team.
 
And then came the sixth inning of Game 2.
 
Amber Chow (West St. Paul, Minn.) delivered a clutch two-run double, erasing a 3-2 deficit and leading the Cardinals to a 4-3 victory—and a split in their doubleheader.
 
UW-Eau Claire came out on top in the opener, using three two-run innings to beat the Cardinals 8-2.
 
The Cardinals did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard in the opener, getting an RBI groundout from Shayley Vesel (Austin, Minn.) in the top of the first inning.
 
Two innings—and three Blugold runs later—Brittney Birkhauser (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) lifted a sacrifice fly to pull the Cardinals within one, 3-2.
 
That, however, would be as close as Saint Mary's would get, as UW-Eau Claire rattled off five unanswered runs to pick up the win in the opener, 8-2.
 
The Cardinals managed six hits in Game 1, coming from six different players—Justine Schultz (Winona, Minn.), Paige Gudmundson (Plainview, Minn.), Birkhauser, Tara Nikolich (Chicago, Ill.), Allie Borawski (Stickney, Ill.), and Hallie Schmeling (Onalaska, Wis.).
 
 Saint Mary's opened the nightcap the same way they opened Game 1, scoring a first-inning run on a groundout—this one off the bat of Birkhauser.
 
UW-Eau Claire scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third to knot the game at 1-1, but Chow induced a bases-loaded walk to score Birkhauser and put the Cardinals up 2-1.
 
Tessa Dachel belted her third double of the afternoon—this time a two-run shot—to give UW-Eau Claire its first lead of the second game, 3-2.
 
A lead that would be short-lived—thanks to Chow.
 
With runners on second and third, Chow laced a double to plate pinch-runners Jordan Meyers and Roni Stevens to put the Cardinals in front for good, 4-3.
 
Along with her 1-for-2, three-RBI effort at the plate, Chow also posted the complete-game pitching win, allowing three runs—two earned—on eight hits, while walking two and striking out three. Chow worked out of a first-and-third, two-out jam in the sixth, then set down the Blugolds in order in the seventh for her seventh win of the season.
 
Borawski finished 2-for-4 to lead the Cardinals' seven-hit offensive attack, with Chow, Nikolich, Gudmundson, Birkhauser, and Vesel all chipping in one hit.
 
The Cardinals (12-20 overall) return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Thursday, traveling to St. Peter, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader against Gustavus.