Walk-off single caps victory against Northern Illinois
September 27, 2015 | Softball
 | Northern Illinois 6, Wisconsin 1 Wisconsin 8, Northern Illinois 7 Goodman Diamond • Madison, Wis. • Attendance: 294 Game 1: Box Score | Box Score  Game 2: Box Score | Box Score |  |
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Sept. 27, 2015
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin softball team split their fall exhibition doubleheader against Norther Illinois University, falling in the first game 6-1, then coming back for a walk-off 8-7 victory in the second game.
In game two, the Badgers kicked things up on offense, winning 8-7 with five runs coming in the final two innings.
With the game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Badgers had two outs when senior Ashley Van Zeeland took the plate, where she blasted a single up the middle to drive in Chloe Miller for the Badgers to win the walk-off thriller.
In the first inning, pitcher Kirsten Stevens struck out two batters in her first start at the mound, allowing just one hit in the inning.
A single in the bottom of the first inning from freshman Stephanie Lombardo brought in sophomore Kelsey Jenkins and freshman Kelly Welsh, lifting the Badgers to a 2-0 lead over NIU.
The Huskies scored two runs in the top of the third inning to tie up the game, where it stayed until NIU scored another three runs in the top of the fifth.
It wasn't until the fifth inning that Wisconsin would score again, this time off of a wild pitch bringing McKenna Heim home to bring the Badgers within two of the Huskies.
Lombardo struck again in the sixth, smashing a double to bring in two runs from Miller and Welsh, the Badgers now just one run behind the Huskies heading into the seventh.
Jenkins came within inches of a home run in the seventh inning, hitting the left field wall for a double that brought Gabby Scherle in for a score.
Soon after, a single from Miller sent Jenkins to home, tying the game at seven apiece. The bases were loaded when Van Zeeland connected for a single and brought in the walk-off run.
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In the first match-up, newcomer Steph Lombardo scored the Badgers' lone run in their 6-1 loss to the Huskies, with freshman McKenna Heim picking up the RBI on Lombardo's score during the fourth inning.
The Huskies set the pace quickly, scoring five runs in the first inning. The Badgers held the Huskies to five through the fifth inning, allowing only one more run in the top of the sixth frame.
The Huskies outhit the Badgers 7-6, but left nine players stranded on base throughout the contest while UW left seven on the basepath.
Angela Morrow started in the circle for Wisconsin, then Taylor-Paige Stewart came in for relief to pitch 6.2 innings. Stewart kept the Huskies to one run and walked only three batters in 24 at bats.
