SUPERIOR, Wis. - The Martin Luther College softball team was finally able to open its conference season on Thursday, but was unable to out-slug UW-Superior in a pair of defeats by the scores of 10-2 and 11-2.

UWS 10, MLC 2 (5 innings)

The UWS offense exploded for eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings on the way to defeating MLC 10-2 in game one.

The two teams remained scoreless in the bottom of the third inning until the Yellowjackets took advantage of an MLC error to score two unearned runs.

The Yellowjackets took over from there, scoring eight times off MLC starting pitcher Morgan Palubicki (1-4), who allowed all 10 runs (eight earned) in 4.2 innings of work.

The lone MLC runs came on a two-run home run from first-year second baseman Erika Rosenbaum in the fifth inning. The home run was the first of Rosenbaum's collegiate career.

UWS 11, MLC 2 (6 innings)

The Yellowjackets complete the sweep with an 11-2 win in game two.

UWS jumped on top early with five runs in the first inning following a grand slam by clean-up hitter Katie White off MLC starting pitcher Rebecca Pruss (0-5). White also ended the game with a three-run home run in the sixth inning to trigger the eight-run rule.

Rosenbaum continued to shine at the plate with a leadoff double in the second inning before scoring the team's first run. Megan Lemke drove in the second run with a single in the third inning to plate Alison Grunke.

Pruss took the loss on the mound, allowing all 11 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and four walks in 5.1 innings. 

MLC fell to 1-9 on the season and 0-2 in UMAC play with the two defeats. UWS improved to 11-13 overall and 5-1 in conference action with the two wins.

The Knights will return to action tomorrow (Friday, April 13) when they travel to the Plymouth Creek Dome to face North Central in a doubleheader scheduled to start at 2 p.m.