Wisconsin vs. Penn State Goodman Diamond · Madison, Wis. Game 1: Box Score  |  Box Score Game 2: Box Score  |  Box Score Photo Gallery

April 3, 2015

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's softball team split its doubleheader action against Penn State on Friday in the Badgers' home opener at Goodman Diamond. UW (14-19, 1-6) fell 11-8 in game one, but then topped the Nittany Lions (20-17, 3-5), 14-13, in a game two battle that remained close until a walk-off single sealed the deal for the Badgers.

"It's exciting to get your first Big Ten win. It was cold but the bats sure were hot," Wisconsin head coach Yvette Healy said. "It was fun to see the whole team contributing. A lot of kids got going offensively, having Stefanni LaJeunesse come into the lineup gave us a little boost and Marissa Mersch did a great job."

In the series opener, UW fell to PSU, 11-8, despite outhitting the Nittany Lions 17-12. Senior Maria Van Abel led the Badgers with three runs, while senior Marissa Mersch tallied a team-high three RBI and five hits. Eight Badgers tallied at least one hit in the game.

Wisconsin took a 3-0 lead to start in the first inning off of an RBI double from sophomore Chloe Miller, an RBI single from junior Stefanni LaJeunesse and a run from Miller off of a throw to catch freshman Brianna Flugaur stealing at second base.

Penn State's Kristina Brackpool hit a homerun to start the second inning and make it 3-1, but three straight outs followed to send it into the bottom of the inning. Mersch hit an RBI single to bring in senior Megan Tanill and give Wisconsin the 4-1 lead.

The Nittany Lions tallied one run in the third inning while UW went scoreless, and then PSU recorded five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-4 lead. But the Badgers responded with three runs of their own to tie up the game, with Jenkins hitting an RBI single to left field to bring in Mersch and knot the score up, 7-7.

PSU went scoreless to start the fifth, giving Wisconsin an 8-7 lead after five innings off of an RBI single to right field from Mersch.

The Badgers wouldn't keep their lead for long though, as Penn State logged four runs in the top of the sixth to take an 11-8 lead. Penn State went down in order to start the seventh, and while the Badgers put up three hits, they couldn't get any runs and dropped the contest, 11-8.

Junior Taylor-Paige Stewart (5-10) recorded two strikeouts in seven innings pitched, and allowed 11 runs off of 12 hits.

In game two of a nearly six-hour long doubleheader, Wisconsin battled back in the seventh inning to overtake PSU, 14-13, and split the doubleheader. Seven Badgers notched at least one hit, with Van Abel and junior Ashley Van Zeeland leading UW with three each. Sophomore Nyah Rodman led the way with three RBI, including a two-run homerun in the third inning.

"I think up and down the line, the kids were really fired up," Healy said. "We told them that in Big Ten games there is always going to be a lot of back-and-forth action and it's going to be a battle. I think they really bought into that and were really fired up before every single inning. Their focus, fight and fire is what we are most proud of."

Penn State took an early lead off of a grand slam from Alyssa Van Derveer to put PSU up 4-0 in the top of the first. But UW countered with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to pull within one, 4-3. Mersch and Miller scored on passed balls to give UW two runs. Then, after being walked, the freshman phenom Jenkins found the perfect opportunity to swipe home base and give Wisconsin three runs. Jenkins was walked four times in the second game after

In the third, PSU clinched three more runs to go up 7-3. Wisconsin pulled back within two in the bottom of the inning, with Rodman smashing a two-run homerun (7-5).

Both teams scored two runs each in the fourth to make it 9-7. With bases loaded, Jenkins was walked which brought in Van Abel to make it 9-6. Van Zeeland followed with an RBI single to bring UW back within two, 9-7.

Wisconsin took its first lead of the game in the fifth inning, with PSU going scoreless and the Badgers earning three runs. With bases loaded, LaJeunesse reached first on a fielding error and Tancill made it home to pull Wisconsin within one, 9-8. Jenkins followed with a walk to bring home Mersch and tie it up at 9-9. Arents came in to pinch hit for Van Zeeland, and slammed an RBI single to right field to put the Badgers on top, 10-9.

Penn State retook the lead, 13-10, in the top of the sixth off of four runs. In the bottom of the inning, UW pulled back within one, 13-12, with Miller hitting a two RBI single that brought in Van Abel and Mersch.

Penn State recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to setup the comeback win for Wisconsin. A one RBI single from Rodman tied it up at 13-13. Then with bases loaded, Van Abel nailed a single to bring home freshman Brianna Flugaur, who was pinch running for Rodman. Flugaur's run gave Wisconsin the 14-13 victory and their first Big Ten win of the season.

Mariah Watts threw four strikeouts en route to her sixth win of the season. The freshman allowed 14 hits and 13 runs in seven innings pitched.

The Badgers close out their series vs. Penn State with an 11 a.m. contest against the Nittany Lions on Saturday afternoon.