The Denison softball team opened the 2016 season with a pair of setbacks to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 4-0 and 11-7, on Sunday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational Games in Tucson, Ariz.

In the season opener, the Eagles scored a run in the opening inning before adding two insurance runs in the fourth and another in the fifth. Sarah Herold, Maddie Crull, Lauren Secaras, Erin Laswell and Mckinly Vazquez recorded DU's five hits. Herold suffered the loss inside the circle, surrendering four runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts in six innings of work.

Megan Nelson earned the win for UW-La Crosse after scattering three hits with three strikeouts in four innings. Katie Klein earned her first save of the season, fanning three batters in three shutout innings. Brittany Baldwin and Emilie Wiltzius each had two hits for the Eagles, while Alecia Faber had a double and drove in a pair.

In the nightcap, La Crosse jumped out to a 5-1 lead before a ground out by Amanda Howell and a base hit by Colleen Hoffman scored Ryan Lee and Secaras, respectively, to cut the margin to 5-3. After surrendering a run in the top of the fourth, Denison closed the margin to one with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Secaras knocked in Vazquez with a base hit, while Howell followed with a double that scored Lee.

Wisconsin-La Crosse busted the game open in the sixth with five runs on the strength of three hits and two costly DU errors. Erinn Henry pulled the Big Red to within four with a one-out pinch-hit triple that scored Kerry Hager and Howell, but back-to-back infield outs secured the sweep for the Eagles.

Herold went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Howell collected two hits, including a double, and three RBIs. Secaras also posted two hits, while Lee touched the dish twice. Secaras suffered the loss after allowing three runs on one hit with three walks.

Baldwin, Faber, Wiltzius and Ashley Lindstrom had two hits apiece. Wiltzius drove in three runs, while Faber knocked in a pair. Baldwin scored three times and swiped five bases, while Emily Holldorf crossed the plate twice and stole two bags.

Denison falls to 0-2, while UW-La Crosse improves to 4-0. The Big Red returns to the diamond on Monday when they take on Minnesota-Crookston (9 am MST) and Robert Morris-Chicago (11 am MST) in Tucson, Ariz.