Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

Rookie Kristina Weltzin pitched a scoreless two-hitter to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a 1-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Stout on Tuesday in Clermont, Fla.  The Engineers fell in game one by a 9-1 margin in six innings.  With the games, which were originally supposed to be played on Sunday but faced postponement due to heavy rains, the Engineers move to 3-3 on the season.  Wisconsin-Stout is now 4-8 overall.

In the victory, Weltzin (Commerce Town, MI/Walled Lake Northern) struck out two batters over a complete 7.0 innings for her second career victory.  She walked just one in the two-hit effort.

Scoreless through the first three innings, the Engineers broke onto the scoreboard as senior Sara Heller (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) doubled to lead off the inning.  Junior Gillian McCarthy (Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington) then came up big with a single to drive Heller in and make it a 1-0 game.  Neither team could muster up any offense as both pitchers had outstanding efforts.  For Wisconsin-Stout, senior Tara Kimberly (Baldwin, WI/Baldwin-Woodville) allowed just one run on five hits over 7.0 innings pitched.  She also had four strikeouts.

Game one saw the Blue Devils break open the game with five runs in the top of the third inning, led by a two-run single from freshman Taylor Workman (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake).  With runner's on, Wisconsin-Stout capitalized on back-to-back walks against RPI's Charlene Osmanski (Elmhurst, IL/York) to push three more across.

In the sixth inning, Stout tacked on four more runs to force the mercy rule as consecutive singles and a two-run double by sophomore Sam Hastings (Waukesha, WI/West) sealed the win for the Blue Devils.

Sophomore Laura Vanderhoof (Mankato, MN/East) earned the win, allowing just one run on four hits over 3.0 innings.  She also had two strikeouts and four walks surrendered.  Kimberly came on in relief, allowing no runs or hits over the final 3.0 innings.

For Rensselaer, Osmanski suffered the loss.  She gave up five runs (4 earned) on five hits over 2.1 innings.  In addition to two strikeouts, she also allowed five walks.  Weltzin came in relief, allowing four runs on four hits with four strikeouts over 3.2 innings.

The Engineers return to action on Wednesday, battling Saint Joseph College (CT) in a pair of games, beginning at 9am. Wisconsin-Stout plays Manhattanville and Plattsburgh, beginning at 9am, also on Wednesday.