April 17, 2010
Box Score
MADISON, Wis. – The Badger softball team kicked off its series against the Purdue Boilermakers with a 3-0 shutout, the team’s first Big Ten win of the year, Saturday afternoon at Goodman Diamond. Senior Letty Olivarez threw her first shutout of the season and the sixth of her career, notching six strikeouts, while giving up just one hit.
The shutout marks Wisconsin’s second of the year, also blanking Bethune Cookman, 9-0, on Feb. 21. The Badgers tied their season-low for hits allowed as they also only allowed one hit against Prairie View A&M on March 13.
Wisconsin opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when freshman Molly Spence nailed a one-run double to deep right field. Freshman Whitney Massey scored the run after drawing a one-out walk, plating the run all the way from first base.
The Badgers tallied one more in the bottom of the third. Senior Katie Soderberg hit a single up the middle, and Jennifer Krueger then tapped a sacrifice bunt, advancing Soderberg to second. Next, Shannel Blackshear came to bat with two out and drove a low single past Purdue’s second baseman, scoring Soderberg.
The Badgers increased their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, Massey drove a hard single up the middle and then advanced on a wild pitch with Blackshear at the plate. Blackshear slammed a single up the middle as Massey rounded the corner and scored the Badgers’ third run of the day.
On the game, Massy went 1-for-2 and scored two runs, while Blackshear and Spence each went 2-for-3. Blackshear finished with two RBI and Spence drove in one run.
The Badgers continue game action against Purdue Sunday afternoon, finishing the second of their two-game series at 1 p.m.
