March 12, 2011
• Box Score | Box Score 
Wisconsin 5, UC Santa Barbara 4
Campus Diamond • Santa Barbara, Calif.
| |
| |
 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | | UCSB | 0
| 0
| 1
| 3
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 4
| 12
| 1
| Wisconsin
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 4
| 1
| X | 5
| 6
| 1
| | | | | | Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | W
| Darrah (4-1) | 7.0
| 12
| 4
| 4
| 3
| 9
| | L | Cobb (4-4) | 6.0
| 6
| 5
| 1
| 2
| 3
| | |
| |
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Michelle Mueller picked a good time to get her first career hit.
The freshman singled home Mary Massei in the bottom of the sixth inning to cap a four-run comeback as Wisconsin beat host-UC Santa Barbara, 5-4, at the Gaucho Classic in Santa Barbara, Calif. It was the biggest comeback for the Badgers since rallying from a 7-2 hole against Northwestern last season.
Fast Facts
| • Mueller's first career hit turns out to be game-winner
| • Krueger hitting streak now at 15 games, one off record
| • Badgers rally from 4-0 deficit to win
| |
The Gauchos held a 4-0 lead after four innings before Wisconsin started its rally.
Kendall Grimm led off the bottom of the fifth with a single. She then moved to second on groundout by Mary Massei and came around to score as Mueller reached on a throwing error by UCSB shortstop Keilani Jennings. Standing on second after the throwing error, Mueller stole third and scored following a squeeze bunt by Cassandra Darrah to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
Jordan Skinner pinch hit for Stephanie Peace and grounded out to first, moving Darrah to second. As Jennifer Krueger batted, the Gauchos attempted to pickoff Darrah. She was caught between second and third, but as Darrah went to third, the throw hit her in the helmet and she ended up safely at third. Later in the at bat, Krueger walked and stole second to put runners on second and third for Karla Powell.
The Badgers' strongest power hitter this season, Powell delivered again with a double to the gap in left field to knot the game at 4-4.
After the bats came alive in the fifth, it was the Badgers' defense that picked them up in the sixth.
The Gauchos loaded the bases with one out as Allison Taylor stepped in. She hit a hard liner at Krueger who caught the ball in shallow centerfield. Squaring up to catch the ball, Krueger came up firing and gunned down McKenzie Kane at the plate as Maggie Strange blocked the plate and made the tag.
Momentum firmly on its side, Wisconsin finished the comeback in the sixth with another two-out rally.
With two outs, Massei blooped a single down the left field line that was fair by only a few feet. She then stole second to set the stage for Mueller. The freshman from La Crosse, Wis., singled back up the middle as Massei came home from second to cap the comeback. It was Mueller's first hit after starting her Badger career 0-for-7.
Darrah surrendered 12 hits on the day for Wisconsin, but improved her record to 4-1 by recording a career-high nine strikeouts and working her way out of jams.
With a single in the first inning, Krueger extended her hitting streak to 15 games. That is now the second-longest in school history, trailing only Samantha Polito who hit safely in 16 games from April 1-24, 2007.
The Badgers continue play at the Gaucho Classic Saturday morning with a rematch against the Gauchos at 11:30 a.m. (CT). Wisconsin then faces San Diego at 1:45 p.m. (CT).
