March 2, 2012
• vs. UConn Box Score | vs. CSU Box Score
Wisconsin 5, UConn 3
Buccaneer Field • Charleston, S.C. | |
 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | | UConn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3
| 5 | 4
| Wisconsin
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 10
| 0
| | | | Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | | W | Darrah (4-2) | 7.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | | L | Duggan (0-1) | 4.0 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | |
Wisconsin 3, Charleston Southern 2
Buccaneer Field • Charleston, S.C. | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | | Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3
| 5 | 1
| CSU
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3
| | | | Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | | W | McIntosh (2-3) | 8.0 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | | L | Dowdy (6-2) | 8.0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | | |
| |
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Strong pitching performances by Cassandra Darrah and Meghan McIntosh led the Wisconsin softball team to a doubleheader sweep Friday at the Charleston Southern Tournament in Charleston, S.C.
Behind Darrah’s eight strikeouts, the Badgers defeated UConn, 3-2, in the day’s first game. In the second game, McIntosh’s career-high 14 strikeouts helped Wisconsin come from behind to defeat Charleston Southern, 3-2, in eight innings.
“We are really proud of the team,” Wisconsin head coach Yvette Healy said. “Any time you can get two wins in one day, it says a lot about the team’s character and composure. Three weekends in a row on the road, coming in late last night and having to get up really early, it’s not an easy thing.
“I think what really kept us in it was our pitching,” Healy continued. “Meghan was phenomenal, she had 14 strikeouts in the game, that’s top notch. Our defense played really well. We’re not swinging the bats as well as we would like, but we are playing a lot of good team ball. We’re advancing runners, being unselfish, and we found a way to gut it out. It showed a lot about our tenacity and work ethic today.”
Wisconsin (6-5) scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the third inning to take a two-run lead over Connecticut (1-3). A single to center field by Whitney Massey scored runners from second and third for the game’s first runs.
The Badgers capitalized on three errors by the Huskies in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. A two-out double by UConn in the top of the fifth scored a run, but the Badgers responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own.
UConn scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to bring the score within two, 5-3. But a strike out and two ground outs by Darrah in the seventh inning gave the Badgers their fifth win of the season.
Darrah allowed three runs on five hits and struck out eight as she improved to 4-2. Wisconsin scored five runs on 10 hits and four Connecticut errors.
After a one-game intermission, Wisconsin returned to the field to face tournament-host Charleston Southern in its second game. The Buccaneers (10-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of a Wisconsin error to score an unearned run.
The Badgers answered back in the top of the fourth. Stephanie Peace led off the inning with a single to left field and moved to second on a fielder’s choice before scoring on a groundout by Maggie Strange to tie the game at 1-1.
CSU regained its lead in the bottom of the inning on a first-pitch home run by Stephanie Sbardella.
Wisconsin responded again, though, tying the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth. Mary Massei led off the inning and reached first on an error by the left fielder before eventually making it all the way to third on a throwing error. A well-placed ground ball to second base by Massey scored Massei from third and tied the game.
CSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, but a strike out by McIntosh ended the inning. McIntosh struck out two more batters in the sixth and one in the seventh to shut down the Buccaneers’ offense.
Wisconsin was also unable to score in the final two innings and in the eighth inning the game went to international tie breaker.
Michelle Mueller started the eighth inning on second base for the Badgers. A ground out by Massei moved Mueller to third before a sacrifice fly by Molly Spence brought in the eventual-winning run.
Melissa Adams started the bottom of the eighth inning at second for the Buccaneers and moved to third on a single by Linzy Rother. McIntosh shut down the scoring threat with a pair of strikeouts and a base running error by CSU to end the inning and give the Badgers the win.
McIntosh allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on nine hits. She struck out a career-high 14 batters in a career-best eight innings of work to earn her second win of the season. Wisconsin scored three runs on five hits and capitalized on three CSU errors.
Maria Van Abel led the Badgers at the plate, recording five hits in six at-bats in the two games. Massey knocked in three RBI and Massei scored a pair of runs in the Badgers’ two wins.
Wisconsin continues action at the Charleston Southern Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 3, playing Kansas at 8 a.m. CT.
