March 21, 2014
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- A walk-off home run and a four-run inning doomed the Wisconsin softball team as it opened Big Ten play on Friday with a doubleheader against No. 23 Northwestern in Rosemont, Ill. The Badgers (14-12, 0-2 Big Ten) saw their four-game winning streak come to an end after falling 8-6 and 4-2 in the two contests. The Wildcats have now won seven of their last eight games.
In game one, the Badgers fought back from a 5-0 deficit to take a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. UW started its rally with five runs in the top of the fifth inning. After Maria Van Abel and Michelle Mueller walked with one out, Mary Massei tripled to left center, driving in both runs. The next batter, freshman Sara Novak launched her first career home run to left field, making the score 5-4.
After Ashley Van Zeeland grounded out, Chloe Miller tripled to right center and was brought home by Megan Tancill’s single up the middle, tying the game.
Massei came up with another big hit in the top of the sixth inning to put the Badgers ahead. Following a Stephanie Peace single, she advanced to second on a ground out and took third on a wild pitch. Massei then singled to center to give UW a lead.
Northwestern tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. After the Badgers loaded the bases but couldn’t push across a run in the top of the eighth inning, the Wildcats’ Julia Kuhn smacked a two-run homer to left field to give Northwestern the win.
Cassandra Darrah worked 7.2 innings, giving up just four earned runs as she fell to 9-7 on the season.
In game two, Wisconsin jumped out early as Massei tripled to lead off the top of the second and scored on Van Zeeland’s groundout. Northwestern answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning as a bases loaded double by Andrea Filler was the big hit.
UW got one back in the top of the sixth when Macy Oswald led off with a double. Van Abel pinch ran, stole third, then scored on Novak’s single. Wisconsin tried to rally in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs but the Badgers were unable to push any runs across.
Taylor-Paige Stewart worked six innings, giving up four hits and striking out eight. She is now 5-5 on the season.
Wisconsin and Northwestern wrap up their series on Saturday at 4 p.m.
