Feb. 14, 2010

Box Score

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. -- For the second time in as many days, the Wisconsin softball team was shut out at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Sunday morning's loss came at the hands of Auburn, 7-0.

Auburn jumped out to 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Amber Harrison launched a grand slam to right field off UW starter, senior Letty Olivarez.

All four runs were unearned, though. After two outs, the Tigers' Krista Clyde reached on an error by Wisconsin second baseman Katie Soderberg. That was followed by two walks and then Harrison's home run.

The Tigers added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of wild pitches by Olivarez enabled two runners to score with the bases loaded. Freshman Meghan Mcintosh came on in relief and got Caitlin Schultze to line out to second, but Kyndall White shot one back through the box to get the seventh Tiger run.

Wisconsin had a chance to get back in the game in the top of the sixth, but the Badgers failed to score after loading the bases with no outs.

Freshman Whitney Massey reached on an error to lead off the inning. Junior Jennifer Krueger was then hit by a pitch and sophomore Jordan Skinner drew a walk. The clutch hit didn't come through though as freshman Shannel Blackshear and sophomore Karla Powell each struck out swinging, while Olivarez flew out to right field to end the inning.

Olivarez threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs, three of which were earned. She allowed five hits while striking out five and walking four.

McIntosh pitched the other 2/3 of an inning, yielding one hit.

Five different Badgers collected hits on the day.

Massey, Krueger, Blackshear and freshman Molly Spence all singled, while Soderberg had a double.

Wisconsin returns to tournament play next weekend when it travels to Miami, Fla., for the Blue and Gold Felsberg Memorial. The Badgers take on Long Island and Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, Feb. 20, and then face Bethune Cookman and Florida International on Feb. 21.