Softball Sweeps on Senior Day
April 27, 2003 | Softball
The Wisconsin softball team's bats were hot Sunday afternoon, racking up 21 hits in two games, defeating Ohio State in a dramatic game one and shutting out the Buckeyes in game two. In game one, UW (17-24 overall, 6-12 Big Ten) edged OSU (23-22, 4-10) in eight-innings and in game two, Bucky used two home run blasts to top the Buckeyes in Senior Day double header action at the Goodman Diamond.
Senior Erin Barnharst was 5-for-7 on the day, including a 4-for-4 effort at the plate in game two. Senior Andrea Kirchberg threw the complete game for UW in game one, while sophomore Katie Layne pitched a complete game shutout, the fourth shutout of her career, in game two. Layne struck out five in seven innings of work, while allowing just two runners past first base.
In game one, Wisconsin took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Meghann Reiss drilled a shot over the right center field wall, the Badgers' first of three home runs on the day. With a 1-0 lead, Natalie Phillips walked and Boo Gillette doubled to center field. With Phillips and Gillette on third and second, respectively, Kris Zacher stepped to the plate and drilled a shot that bounced off the left field wall. Phillips and Gillette scored, pushing UW's advantage to 3-0.
UW loaded the bases in the third inning, but OSU escaped with a pitching change and a force out at home and a fly out. Defensively, relief pitcher Chelsea Baker shut down the Badger order in the fourth and fifth innings. Offensively, OSU gave Baker some support with a wild play in the top of the fourth.
Amy Ellis set down a bunt single with two outs in the fourth and Jennifer Johnson followed with a shot to center field. The ball bounced off Barnharst 's glove and she fired to third. The ball got away from Mandy Liles and bounced off a bucket next to the Badgers' dugout. The umpire ruled the ball dead and awarded Ellis home and Johnson third. Jenn Link followed with a double to left field to pull OSU within one. Ohio State tied it up in the top of the sixth, capitalizing on a Badger error.
The Badgers rallied in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game at 4-4, but confused the umpires in the process. With one out in the inning, Barnharst was hit by a pitch and took first. Consolmagno followed with a bunt, but the catcher misplaced the throw and OSU's first baseman reached for the ball, but couldn't snag it with Consolmagno approaching.
Consolmagno sat at first and Barnharst waited at third for Anastasia Miller. Miller drilled the ball into left center and the action began. Barnharst easily touched home before any outs were recorded, tying the game. Consolmagno rounded third and was tagged out at the plate for the second out. Catcher Annie Dedic rifled it back to third base, catching Miller at third for the double play.
The umpires ran off the field, putting an OSU win in the books. After realizing that the game was tied, the umpires returned to the field amidst a flury of boos from the hometown fans.
After OSU led off extra innings with a walk, Kirchberg retired the side and set up Wisconsin for the win. Reiss doubled to start off the inning and pinch hitter Sheena Padovan chopped a hit into center field. OSU intentionally walked Boo Gillette to load the bases with no outs to set up the force out at any base.
Zacher answered with a hit to her counterpart forcing the OSU 's shortstop to make a diving grab to trap the ball. But she whiffed on her tag attempt of Padovan running from second to third. Reiss scored the winning run, giving Zacher three RBIs for the game. Zacher now leads the Badgers with 17 RBIs. The Badgers are 6-3 in extra-inning games this season.
In game two, the 606 fans in attendance witnessed a little deja vu, with the Badgers scoring three runs in the second inning. Barnharst led off the inning with a single to left field and Consolmagno bunted the ball back to the pitcher. The pitcher threw to second in an attempt to pick off Barnharst, but both Badger runners reached their respective bag safely. Miller stepped up to the plate and blasted a home run over the left field fence. In eight at-bats this season, Miller has three hits, two of which are home runs.
The Badgers added one more run in the fifth inning with a two-out RBI single by Diana Consolmagno. Consolmagno was 2-for-3 in game two and drove in three runs and scored twice. She registered her second jack of the year in the seventh inning with a yelp-aided blast that flew over the center field wall. The home run also scored Barnharst who reached with her fourth hit of the game. Barnharst is the first Badger to record four hits in one game this year.
The sweep gives UW a three-game winning streak heading into non-conference play this week at Goodman Diamond. The Badgers face Illinois-Chicago Wednesday at 5 p.m. and battle UW-Green Bay in double header action Thursday starting at 4 p.m. Catch all the action at the Goodman Diamond or on UWBADGERS.COM.
