UW Hits the Road for Indiana, Purdue
April 21, 2006 | Softball
The University of Wisconsin softball team (18-16, 3-5 Big Ten) will play its final conference road games this weekend when it takes on Indiana (21-21-1, 3-8) at 2 p.m. CT Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday in Bloomington, Ind., and Purdue (26-24, 4-7) in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Sunday in West LaFayette, Ind.
UW currently sits in seventh place in the league standings, one spot ahead of the Boilermakers and two in front the Hoosiers. Thus, these games will be crucial for all three times in their bid to make the Big Ten tournament, which only accepts the top eight teams.
Two keys for Wisconsin will be to score first, as this season it has held the lead 11 out of 17 times for the victory, and score at least three runs, as the Badgers have been triumphant 15 times when doing so.
Leading the team in runs is leadoff hitter Sam Polito, whose 29 runs are 13 more than her closest teammate and are only four off from her personal season-high of 33 (done twice). Driving in the runs is sophomore Katie Hnatyk, who has a whopping 27 RBIS, matching her total from an outstanding freshman campaign a year ago.
Also noteworthy is junior pitcher Eden Brock, who has won her past six decisions and is 14-7 overall. For the season, she has a 3.21 ERA with 103 strikeouts and just 29 walks.
IU enters the weekend having lost four of its last five games, including a 1-0 decision to Ohio Wednesday night. Still, the Hoosiers are talented on both sides on the ball, as Lauren Hines boasts a .421 batting average and .711 slugging percentage, and Mariangee Bogado has a 1.64 ERA and 220 strikeouts, which ranks in the top five of the Big Ten.
Wisconsin has won 11 of its past 12 meetings against Indiana and holds the historical advantage 14-9. Against Purdue, however, the scale tips in favor of the Boilermakers, who hold a 15-10 all-time series edge.
At the dish, Tricia Lilley owns a .329 average while DaQueta Johnson has provided much of PU's power, churning out nine home runs and 40 RBIs with a .556 slugging percentage. The team combines for a .276 average.
Brooke Baker has carried the bulk of the workload, throwing for a 2.72 ERA in 33 appearances and accounting for a 13-12 record. The Purdue staff has a combined ERA of 2.72 and has allowed opponents to hit at a .248 clip.
The Boilermakers will play host to Iowa on Friday and Saturday prior to playing the Badgers.
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