March 7, 2014
Game 1 | Game 2
FULLERTON, Calif. -- It was a hard-fought battle that saw the Wisconsin softball team come out on top Friday evening at the Judi Garmin Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The Badgers battled No. 7 Arizona, holding off a late inning push by the Wildcats, to claim a 7-5 win.
Wisconsin (8-8) struck first with a pair of runs in the second inning, but it was a four-run fifth inning that pushed the Badgers over the top of the Wildcats (20-3).
Mary Massei led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Maria Van Abel. Two batters later and the bases were loaded for Chloe Miller. UW's first run scored when Miller was hit by a pitch. Another Badgers run scored on a Wildcat error and a bases loaded walk by Megan Tancill plated the third run.
A wild pitch plated the Badgers' fourth run of the inning, giving them a 6-2 lead after 4.5 innings.
An RBI single by Michelle Mueller in the sixth scored UW's seventh run of the game.
“We had to get creative and be aggressive,” UW head coach Yvette Healy said. “(Assistant) Coach (Randy) Schneider did a phenomenal job on the offense, getting the hitters ready. He really put a lot of pressure on Arizona and it helped.”
Arizona fought back with three hits in the bottom of the sixth, but UW was able to hold on to earn the win.
Cassandra Darrah picked up her fifth victory of the season, pitching 7.0 innings and allowing five runs on eight hits. Darrah walked six and struck out five.
“Cassandra threw a great game for us,” Healy said. “Arizona scored some runs, but she stayed tough and composed and it’s nice having a senior on the mound who can withstand a couple of hits and stay focused and still get the win.
“The fact that we’ve seen so many good teams and hitters early in the season and faced Florida twice and Texas A&M twice really helped us to pitch against those types of hitters and defend and stay in the game even when they had their surge.”
Wisconsin scored seven runs on five hits and committed one error. Arizona, which had run-ruled eight of its last nine opponents, plated five runs on eight hits and also committed an error.
“It’s exciting,” Healy said. “Any time you can get a top-10 win, it’s huge for the University and the program. We’re just so proud of the girls.”
UW couldn’t enjoy the win too long, though, as the Badgers took the field just 30 minutes after taking down seventh-ranked Arizona to battle No. 6 Washington.
Despite a great pitching performance by sophomore Taylor-Paige Stewart, the Badgers were unable to pull off the upset, falling, 4-2, at the hands of the Huskies.
“Taylor threw a beautiful game,” Healy said. “For a sophomore to come out and put up 12 Ks against such a prolific offense like Washington’s, that’s very impressive.”
Washington entered the game with a 17-2 record after defeating No. 5 Michigan by a score of 7-1 on Thursday night—a game in which the team scattered 15 hits, including four extra-base hits and a grand slam.
The Huskies took no time getting on the board in the first inning, as the Kylee Lahners shot a ball into short right center, which fell just short of a diving Stephanie Peace to knock in the leadoff batter Victoria Hayward.
The Badgers on the other hand were retired one, two, three in the first two innings by pitcher Kaitlin Inglesby before Tancill drew a leadoff walk in the top of the third inning. But the Huskies converted on a strike-em-out, throw-em-out with pinch-hitting Stefanni LaJeunesse at the plate to prevent Wisconsin from gaining any rhythm on offense.
After giving up a single to lead off the bottom half of the inning, Stewart buckled down, striking out three-straight batters to strand the Husky base runner and keep her team well within reach.
Stewart pitched 6.0 innings, allowing four runs, three earned on eight hits, twelve strikeouts and no walks.
The Badgers finally found a spark in the top of the fourth. Massei reached on an infield single that Washington shortstop Ali Aguilar fielded nicely in the hole, but couldn’t send it to first in time for the out. Massei then used her wheels to beat out a force play at second following Van Abel’s bunt down the third base line.
With Massei and Van Abel on third and second, respectively, after moving up a base thanks to a mishandled ball by Huskies catcher Courtney Gano, Stephanie Peace skidded a liner off Inglesby’s shin to score Massei. Peace survived a pickle between first and second, sliding in safely at second base to put runners on second and third with no outs.
Chloe Miller successfully converted a squeeze bunt to bring another run home for Wisconsin, but that’s all the Badgers would get in the game.
Washington recorded a pair of home runs and a two-out double to recapture the lead and hang on to the victory.
“I’m really proud of our hitters, too,” Healy said. “To come out and pressure, once again, another great pitcher is great.
“The fact that we were able to put that many kids on base is just a tribute to how well we played. The hitters really showed no fear and battled and got on base and were scrappy. It was a fun game to be a part of.”
After finishing the day 1-1 against top-10 teams, UW will meet another highly touted program in No. 10 Arizona State at 2:30 p.m. CT, completing the day with a matchup against Long Beach State at 5 p.m. CT.
