Badgers Hold Off Minnesota For 2-0 Shutout Win
May 08, 2004 | Softball
In a nail-biter on Parents Day, the Wisconsin softball team edged out Minnesota 2-0 Saturday night at the Goodman Diamond. Emily Friedman had two hits for the Badgers who tallied both of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
With the victory, the Badgers improve to 29-27 overall, with a 6-13 mark in conference. The Gophers fall to 32-22, and are 9-10 in Big Ten play.
Junior Katie Layne worked her 14th complete game in the pitcher 's circle for Wisconsin, picking up her 13th win. Layne scattered six hits while striking out one in earning her second shutout of the season.
After four and a half innings of shutout ball, the Badgers finally got to Minnesota's Piper Marten in the bottom of the fifth. Emily Friedman led off by legging out an infield single, and moved up on a passed ball. With one out, Friedman took third as Kaitlin Reiss lined a single down the right field line, and registered Wisconsin's first run on Sam Polito's two-out RBI shot through the left side.
Wisconsin didn't let up, as Athena Vasquez stepped up and delivered a ringing double to left, scoring Nicole Simmons, who came on to pinch run for Reiss. The Badgers knocked four hits off of Marten in the frame after collecting only one through the first four innings.
Marten worked the full six innings for the Gophers, striking out nine and walking none. Despite the strong pitching effort, Marten came away with the loss, falling to 20-12 on the season.
Wisconsin worked out of a jam in the top of the seventh when Minnesota's Lindsey Erickson and Katie Meyer led off the frame with consecutive singles to right. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners in to scoring position, but the pair was left stranded following a line drive to Vasquez at third and an athletic tag made by Kris Zacher at short to end the game and seal the victory for the Badgers.
The Badgers conclude their 2004 season on Sunday at noon as they again play host to Minnesota at the Goodman Diamond.
