EVANSTON, Ill. – The No. 25 Wisconsin softball team gave Northwestern quite the fight on Saturday but ultimately came up short in both games of a Saturday doubleheader at Drysdale Field. The Badgers (30-8 overall, 7-5 B1G) suffered their first sweep of the season, losing all three games of the series at Northwestern (33-7, 12-0).
GAME ONE
It didn't take long for the Badgers to get going. The first pitch of the game hit junior
Kayla Konwent.
Taylor Johnson reached base in the next at bat after being walked for Badgers on first and second with no outs. Seinor
Stephanie Lombardo sent Konwent's pinch runner,
Gabby Scherle, home with a single down the right field line.
Trailing 3-1 after the first inning, UW packed quite the punch in the next frame to regain the lead. Junior
Caroline Hedgcock hit a rocket over the left field wall to get things going. Senior
Kelly Welsh followed suit with a two-run shot of her own to center field that put the Badgers back on top, 4-3.
Konwent struck again in the fourth inning with UW's third homer of the game for a 5-3 Wisconsin lead.
Northwestern battled back in the bottom of the fourth with five runs to seal an 8-5 win.
GAME TWO
Wisconsin was able to strike first again in game two of Saturday's doubleheader with a run in the top of the third inning. Northwestern quickly responded with two two-run homers in the bottom of the inning.
The Badgers continued to put the pressure on the Wildcats at the plate to eventually tie the game at four runs apiece. A Welsh single up the middle scored UW's second run, Konwent homered for run number three and
Sydney Lawson scored the tying run in the sixth inning.
In extra innings, both teams held strong defensively. NU put the pressure on early after loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning with no outs, but UW got out of trouble with three quick outs to force a ninth inning.
Northwestern would eventually take the game in the bottom of the 10th inning with a walk off home run.
Batting clean-up: Four notes to know
- Konwent set UW's single season home run record today after hitting her 13th homer of the season during game two.
- Hedgcock paced the Wisconsin offense this weekend, batting .500 with three hits and a home run.
- Welsh hit her second home run of the season and tallied a team-best four RBI's throughout the series.
- The Badgers have lost three-straight games for the first time this season.
On deck
The Badgers return to Goodman Diamond Wednesday for a border battle doubleheader against Minnesota. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. (CT) and both games will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.