PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – On the final day of the Mary Nutter Classic, the Wisconsin softball team could not dethrone No. 1 Washington, dropping a 4-1 decision Sunday morning. The Badgers finished the weekend 3-3 with their biggest win coming against No. 12 Auburn on Thursday.
 
Washington (17-0) collected six hits and held Wisconsin (7-7) to five hits and one run.
 
The Badgers rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning to avoid their first shutout of the season. Freshman Taylor Johnson hit a leadoff double to left field and Lauren Foster followed it up with a single to place runners on the corners with no outs.
 
With one out, senior Kelsey Jenkins grounded out but scored Johnson for Wisconsin's lone run of the day.
 
Wisconsin was able to retire Washington's first six batters in a row but were unable to shut down the Huskies in the third inning. Washington took a 1-0 lead after a single and two bunts left runners on the corners with one out.
 
The Huskies struck again with two runs in the fourth and a solo home run in the sixth to take a 4-0 advantage into the final frame.

Atta baby TJ!!!

Johnson leads off with a double to left after a full count! pic.twitter.com/QoB4zOCQsR

— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) February 25, 2018

Notes to know

• Pitcher Haley Hestekin struck out two batters and only allowed two earned runs against the top team in the country while pitching a complete game.
• The Badgers held the Huskies to under five points for the fourth time this season.
• Freshman Taylor Johnson had a team-high two hits against the Huskies, including a double in the seventh inning.

 

On deck

Next weekend the Badgers travel to Clearwater, Florida for the USF Under Armour Invitational. On Friday, UW plays Central Michigan at 12:30 p.m. (CT) and USF at 3 p.m. Saturday starts off with a 9 a.m. game against College of Charleston and concludes with an 11:30 a.m. game against Western Michigan. Wisconsin closes out the tournament on Sunday playing Wright State at 8:30 a.m.