LAS VEGAS -- In the final day of the Rebel Classic, the Wisconsin softball team split in action with an 11-5 win against Santa Clara University and a 5-2 loss to Utah State University in its first game of the day.
The Badgers proved that they were a force to be reckoned with as seven players scored at least one run against Santa Clara (5-18).
Wisconsin (12-11) started off the game scoring back-to-back runs from
Ashley Van Zeeland and
Chloe Miller. Van Zeeland reached first on an error and advanced to second as Miller was walked. Freshman
Melanie Cross hit a double making way for Van Zeeland to score. Miller followed on the next play after senior
Macy Oswald put a sacrifice fly into left field, giving UW an early 2-0 lead.
Then in the second inning, a double RBI single by Miller allowed for both Van Zeeland and
Kelsey Jenkins to score brining the Badgers lead to 4-0.
UW kept up its pattern of success; this time earning three more runs in the third inning. With bases loaded,
Katie Christner hit a single that followed with a fielding error by the Broncos allowing for
Kelly Welsh and
McKenna Heim, who pinch ran for
Sara Novak, to score. Then back-to-back walks by Van Zeeland and Jenkins advanced
Taylor Berry to home. Wisconsin finished the inning with a 7-0 lead.
Heading into the bottom of the fourth, Wisconsin had only allowed two hits from the Broncos but they had a comeback in the fourth frame. Santa Clara came back for revenge by scoring four runs off of four hits during the inning making it a three-run game at 7-4.
Wisconsin responded to Santa Clara with Novak hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning while Miller hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning furthering UW's lead 10-4.
In the seventh frame, Jenkins hit a solo home run for Wisconsin. Santa Clara added one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning but it wasn't enough as UW finished the game 11-5.
Both Wisconsin and Santa Clara each had 10 hits. In all, seven players scored for the Badgers with Jenkins leading the team with three runs, two hits and two RBI. Miller followed with two runs, two hits and four RBI while Van Zeeland notched two runs and one hit.
Kirsten Stevens pitched the first two innings for Wisconsin only allowing for one hit with zero runs.
Mariah Watts then stepped in to pitch the last five innings allowing for five runs and nine hits, and picking up her first win of the season.
Wisconsin fell 5-2 to Utah State (9-10) in its first game of the day. The Aggies outhit the Badgers 10-6 giving them the upper hand in the game.
Utah State scored first during the second inning, after two Aggies hit back-to-back doubles giving them a 1-0 lead.
The Badgers responded in the third inning with Van Zeeland scoring for UW. Van Zeeland walked and with single hits by both Jenkins and Miller, Van Zeeland tied up the game up, 1-1.
But the Aggies closed out the third inning hitting a two-run home run to take the lead, 3-1, and did the same thing again in the fifth inning, hitting a two-run home run to further the lead, 5-1.
In the seventh inning, Oswald shot a single to left field and then eventually scored for Wisconsin off of an error by Utah State but it was not enough as the Aggies went on to win, 5-2.
Taylor-Paige Stewart started for the Badgers, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing for five runs and eight hits.
Kirsten Stevens then closed out the game pitching 1.1 innings only allowing for two hits with zero runs.
The Wisconsin softball team has a one-week break before taking on Detroit at noon (CT) and 2 p.m. in a doubleheader on March 22 in Chicago, Illinois.
