UW Wins Game Two, Splits with Buckeyes
April 26, 2008 | Softball
The University of Wisconsin softball team used a seventh-inning rally to take the second game of a doubleheader 4-3 against Ohio State Saturday afternoon at Goodman Diamond. Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Badgers scored three runs to win for the third time in four games.
In the seventh inning, the Badgers had one out and senior Lynn Anderson (Neenah, Wis.) on second base against Ohio State reliever Kim Reeder. Freshman Livi Abney (Lawrence, Kan.) stepped to the plate and launched the second home run of her career to bring the game to a 3-3 tie. Fellow freshman Jennifer Krueger (Portage, Wis.) followed with a walk and senior Joey Daniels (Oakley, Calif.) moved her to third with a double to right field. Junior Theresa Boruta (Chicago, Ill.) then came to the plate and singled to shortstop. On the throw to first, Krueger broke for home and while the ball beat her to the plate, she was able to dislodge it as she slid in to give the Badgers the victory.
Ohio State carried its momentum over from the first game of the doubleheader by scoring in the top of the first. With UW sophomore Letty Olivarez (Newark, Calif.) pitching and one out, a walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases for the Buckeyes. Following a strikeout, Olivarez walked her third batter of the inning, allowing Ohio State to pull ahead 1-0.
The Badgers loaded the bases in each of the first three innings against Buckeye starting pitcher Megan Miller, but couldn't push across a run. The first inning saw the bases loaded with no outs but a double play and a ground out ended the inning. In the second inning Wisconsin had the bases loaded with two outs but pinch hitter Nicole Whaley (Riverside, Calif.) flew out to right field. There was only one out when Wisconsin loaded things up again in the third inning, but sophomore Katie Soderberg (Delta, British Columbia) fouled out to third base and Abney struck out swinging to quell the threat.
Wisconsin tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Olivarez led off the frame with a double past the diving Buckeye left fielder Dee Dee Hillman. A groundout by junior Alexis Garcia (North Hollywood, Calif.) moved her to third. Kim Reeder came on in relief and promptly got Anderson to pop out to second. Soderberg was able to tie things up as she followed with a single to shallow right center field. Abney and Krueger each walked to load the bases, but Daniels grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Buckeyes went ahead in the seventh inning as they scored a pair of runs. Sam Marder hit a two-out out double to right center field that got caught up in the wind. Hillman was up next and hit a blooper to left center field. As Marder raced for home, the ball beat her to the plate, but she dove and avoided the tag of Daniels. Marder then reached back and touched home plate before Daniels could apply the tag. Hillman advanced all the way to third on the play and came across on an RBI single to center by Brittany Vanderink.
The Badgers return to action next weekend as they close out their regular season with a home series against Minnesota. Saturday's and Sunday's games will each begin at 12 p.m. at Goodman Diamond.
To relive the games via the GameDay Blog, click postid=930"> --> here.
