MADISON, Wis. - After falling short in its last game to Illinois, the Wisconsin softball team rebounded in a big way on Tuesday during its doubleheader against in-state rival, Green Bay.  

Despite the chilly weather, the Badgers (26-19-1) were hot, dispatching the Phoenix, 8-0, in both games of the afternoon.

Senior pitcher Taylor-Paige Stewart anchored the Badgers defense, striking out nine batters in the first game alone, tying her season high, before retiring five more batters in game two against the Phoenix (16-28, 7-7 Horizon League).

"I think that's as good as it gets," head coach Yvette Healy said. "It started with Taylor-Paige Stewart on the mound, she did great in both games and I think she really gave the offense a lot of time to work. When she was throwing so well and holding them down it kind of made everybody really comfortable.

"I think it works both ways. When the pitchers are throwing well, it makes it easier for the hitters to just relax and swing. When the hitters are swinging, I think the pitchers know they've got some room to work with."

In the first game, junior outfielder Chloe Miller sparked the offense for UW, driving in sophomore Kelsey Jenkins on an RBI single in the bottom of the first to get the Badgers on the board.

Wisconsin tacked on its second run of the game in the second inning, as junior first baseman Sara Novak drove in pinch runner Stewart with a sharp ground ball up the middle. 

Stewart kept rolling through the third, fourth, and fifth innings, tallying six strikeouts. The bats kept firing too, as Jenkins scored on an RBI single by senior Ashley Van Zeeland. Van Zeeland eventually scored the fourth run on a sacrifice fly to shallow centerfield, courtesy of freshman catcher Melanie Cross. 

Freshman pitcher Angela Morrow entered the game in the sixth inning, making her fifth appearance of the season, relieving Stewart in the circle. Morrow went three-up, three-down against the Phoenix, collecting one strikeout. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Badger bats exploded for four more runs. Sophomore infielder Samantha Arents led off in the inning, drawing her 10th walk of the season. Freshman Gabby Scherle came in to pinch run for the sophomore, and advanced to second after sophomore Brianna Flugaur came off the bench as a pinch hitter and laced a single up the left side.

Novak then singled on a hard line drive to left field, which was fumbled by Green Bay's Abby Brinkmeier, allowing Novak to advance to second and Scherle and Flugaur to score. 

After subbing in junior Taylor Berry as a pinch runner for Novak, Jenkins singled to left, advancing Berry to third. Jenkins then stole second and advanced to third on an error by the Phoenix catcher, as Berry scored. 

Miller reached first on a fielder's choice, collecting her team-leading 45th RBI of the season as Jenkins scored and the Badgers took the first game of the doubleheader from Green Bay, 8-0. 

In game two of the afternoon, Stewart started right where she left off, retiring the first three batters she faced. Miller tallied her team-leading seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the first and the 20th of her career, putting UW up 3-0 in the first inning off of the three-run shot.

Wisconsin increased its lead to 4-0 after Jenkins doubled to right field, allowing Scherle to come all the way around from second base in the bottom of the second. 

With the bases empty in the bottom of the second, senior Katie Christner contributed to the offensive surge, hitting her third home run of the season. Senior Macy Oswald cranked a stand-up triple to right field, and was later driven in with freshman Kelly Welsh after Sara Novak doubled to right to increase the Badgers' lead to 7-0.

Miller drove in the final run of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly that allowed Jenkins, who just managed a double steal with Van Zeeland, to score and secured the 8-0 win for the Badgers. 

The last time Wisconsin earned back-to-back shutouts was in 2013, when UW defeated Iowa on March 29 and 30, 8-0 and 3-0, respectively.

UW now leads the all-time series against with Green Bay, 32-11-1. This marks the fourth time that Wisconsin has had back-to-back shutout wins against the Phoenix.  

The Badgers will return to conference play this weekend, as they host Northwestern in their final three-game home series. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Goodman Softball Complex.