LAS VEGAS -- The Wisconsin softball team split its games during the second day of the Rebel Classic, topping Valparaiso, 7-5, before falling to tournament-host UNLV, 3-0, on Saturday.
"I thought the team was really gritty today," head coach
Yvette Healy said. "It's great to be sitting 2-1 after the first couple days of competition going into the last day. I thought the team showed a lot of fight and from a pitching standpoint, Taylor-Paige (Stewart) did a great job all day to get the win in the first game then battle through and give us everything she had and hold UNLV down in the second game."
Wisconsin (11-10) started Saturday with a victory over Valparaiso (2-14) as
Sara Novak hit a two-run home run in the first inning against the Crusaders. Novak's home run allowed for both her and
Ashley Van Zeeland to score, after Van Zeeland started the game out being walked.
Valpo made it a 2-1 game in the third inning with a solo home run. But the Crusaders were not done yet, after a fielder's choice and three single-hits, Valparaiso was able to take the lead 3-2 after scoring two more runs.
The Badgers tied it up, 3-3, in the fourth inning after
Samantha Arents hit a double followed by
Melanie Cross, who pinch-hit for
Brooke Mann, with a single.
McKenna Heim, who pinch-ran for Arents, was then able score.
But Wisconsin wasn't ready to fold yet, and went on to reclaim its lead. With Cross on second base,
Katie Christner stepped up to bat, hitting a single to the left side, allowing for Cross to advance to third. Christner didn't stay long at first base as she stole second and
Gabby Scherle quickly found her way to first base after she was walked.
With the bases loaded, Van Zeeland made it to first on a fielder's choice but Cross was out at home. But the Badgers were able to take the lead thanks to a pair of bases-loaded walks by Valpo to take a 5-3 lead.
In the fifth inning, Valparaiso upped the ante, taking advantage of UW's errors. Despite Valpo not earning a hit in the inning, two throwing errors and a fielder's choice allowed for the Crusaders to tie the score at 5-5.
Wisconsin took the lead for good in the sixth, as
Chloe Miller hit a double, scoring
Kelsey Jenkins. Novak then followed suit with a double of her own making way for Miller to score.
"Katie (Christner) is one of our kids that hits lefties, so she was in a good place and felt good about it," Healy said. "To get two hits in a game, for any player but especially in your senior year, is special. We're really proud of Katie and of
Sara Novak too. Novak has been leading the charge and is a force to be reckoned with right now. I think she's seeing the ball and it's fun to get someone coming off of an injury getting some confidence under her belt heading back to the Midwest."
Kirsten Stevens started in the circle for the Badgers, going 4.1 innings while allowing five runs and nine hits. Stewart came in to close the game, pitching 2.2 innings only allowing two hits and zero runs to pick up the win.
Despite winning, Wisconsin was outhit 11-9. Novak led the Badger offense with one run, two hits and three RBI.
In the Badgers' night cap against UNLV, Wisconsin could only muster three hits as the Rebels blanked UW, 3-0.
The Badgers' best chance of scoring came in the first, as UW tallied two its three hits in the frame. Van Zeeland started the game off with a single while Jenkins reached on a fielder's choice. But in the next play, Van Zeeland was tagged out while Jenkins was caught stealing. Miller was walked and Arents reached on a fielder's choice while Novak hit a single, but it was not enough for UW to score.
After a pair of scoreless innings, UNLV scored in the third to take a 1-0 lead
The Rebels saw two more hits in the fourth inning, but the Badgers held them off from scoring.
In the sixth inning, UNLV hit a two-run pinch hit home run to cap off the scoring for the Rebels.
Overall, Wisconsin was outhit 8-3 with Van Zeeland, Novak and Welsh each recording a hit.
Stewart pitched all six innings, allowing for three runs and eight hits. Stewart had a stellar performance throughout the day, pitching a total of 145 pitches on the day after going 2.2 innings in the first game against Valpo. She had four strikeouts against the Crusaders and one against the Rebels.
"To be on the road at UNLV, facing them on their field when they've played so well at home and have so many games under their belt at home, we knew it was going to be a battle," Healy added. "They're a high acting offense, we saw them put 20 runs up in their win last night. So, for Taylor-Paige (Stewart) to hold them to one run until the seventh inning, she did a phenomenal job."
The Badgers finish the Rebel Classic Sunday as they take on Utah State University at 11 a.m. (CT) and Santa Clara University at 1:15 p.m.
