March 16, 2012

• U CSB Box Score  |  San Jose State Box Score

Wisconsin 4,  UC Santa Barbara 0 Campus Diamond • Santa Barbara, Calif.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E  WIS 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 8 2  UCSB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 • Box Score  |  Box Score • Attendance: 105  Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO W Darrah (7-3) 7.0 2 0 0 1 4 L Collins (4-10) 5.2 6 3 3 1 1  Batting Leaders  • Maria Van Abel: 3-for-4, 1 Run  • Kendall Grimm: 2-for-3  • Molly Spence: 1-for-3, 1 Run, 1 RBI

San Jose State 9, Wisconsin 0 Campus Diamond • Santa Barbara, Calif.

1 2 3 4 5 R H E  SJS 0 1 2 0 6 9  11 0  WIS 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 • Box Score  |  Box Score • Attendance: 105  Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO W Pridmore (7-4) 5.0 2 0 0 2 8 L McIntosh (5-8) 2.0 6 3 1 0 2  Batting Leaders  • Maria Van Abel: 1-for-2  • Shannel Blackshear: 1-for-2

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-- A solid eight-hit, four-run winning performance was followed up by a two-hit shutout loss Friday afternoon, as the Wisconsin softball team split a pair of games at the Gaucho Classic II in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Wisconsin (11-8) opened up the tournament with a 4-0 win over UC Santa Barbara (10-18), before falling, 9-0, in the day's second game against San Jose State (15-14).

After five scoreless innings against UC Santa Barbara, the Badgers were poised for a big inning. With one out in the top of the sixth, Maria Van Abel recorded her third hit of the game with a single to shortstop, starting a UW rally.

Whitney Massey was hit by a pitch, moving Van Abel to second and setting the table for the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Molly Spence. Spence responded with a double, scoring Van Abel from second and advancing to third when a throwing error by the Gaucho's center fielder allowed a second Badger run to score.

With one out and a runner on third, Shannel Blackshear executed a perfect suicide bunt and the Badgers took a 3-0 lead.

UW starting pitcher Cassandra Darrah shut down the Gauchos in the bottom of the inning, forcing a pair of ground outs and striking out one to preserve the Badgers' lead.

Mary Massei belted her first home run of the season in the top of the seventh to give Wisconsin a 4-0 lead. A pair of ground outs and a fly out by the Gauchos in the bottom of the inning ended the game, 4-0, in favor of the Badgers.

Darrah pitched all seven innings, recording her sixth complete game and third shutout of the season. The sophomore held UCSB scoreless on two hits, walking two and striking out eight.

Wisconsin's second game of the day didn't go as planned. Sloppy defense and quiet bats allowed San Jose State to take a 9-0 win from the Badgers.

Meghan McIntosh made the start in the circle for UW, pitching the first two inning and allowing one run on three hits. McIntosh hit a road block in the top of the third inning and San Jose State was there to capitalize.

Three singles and a pair of UW errors in the top of the inning allowed San Jose State to score two runs and forced a UW pitching change. Amanda Najdek entered the game in relief with runners on second and third and no outs. Najdek forced a line out, ground out and strike out to end the inning and keep San Jose State from scoring.

The Spartans jumped on the Badgers again in the fifth inning. San Jose State was able to capitalize on five hits and two UW errors to score six runs and take a 9-0 lead. Three strike outs in the bottom of the inning gave the Spartans a 9-0 win.

McIntosh and Najdek combined to pitch five innings, allowing nine runs, five earned, on 11 hits. San Jose State's Amanda Pridmore held the Badgers to just two hits and struck out eight.

Wisconsin continues action at the Gaucho Classic II on Saturday, March 17 when it plays UC Santa Barbara at 3:45 p.m. CT, followed by San Jose State at 6 p.m. CT.