Badgers unable to withstand late surge from San Diego

Sunday, March 11

Tucson, AZ

11 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

San Diego

14-13

San Diego

Wisconsin

Photo by: Kelli Steffes

Badgers unable to withstand late surge from San Diego

March 11, 2018 | Softball

Box Score

Samantha Arents hits home run in 7-4 loss

TUCSON, Ariz. – Despite outhitting San Diego 10-7, the Wisconsin softball team dropped a 7-4 decision to the Toreros Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Wildcat Invitational. The Badgers finished 2-3 on the weekend and are 13-11 heading into conference play.

San Diego got on the board with a run in the first inning but a Samantha Arents homer in the second inning tied the game at one run apiece.

UW took the lead in the third inning off of a Melanie Cross RBI single. Kelsey Jenkins reached base on a double to left field and advanced to third when Gabby Scherle laid down a beautiful bunt to the pitcher. Cross singled to left field and scored Jenkins, giving Wisconsin a 2-1 advantage.

The Badgers extended their lead in the fourth inning. Heather Rudnicki singled to the pitcher and stole second with Kelly Welsh up to bat. Welsh hit a double down the left-field line to send Rudnicki home. After a San Diego pitching change, Jenkins reached on a walk putting runners on first and second with two outs. Freshman Reilly Peters came in to pinch hit and cracked a single up the middle to score Welsh. UW led 4-1 heading into the fifth inning.

Things did not go Wisconsin's way after that. The Toreros regained the lead thanks to a four-run fifth inning, including a two-RBI home run from Hannah Gilliland. Then San Diego added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to hand UW its third loss of the weekend.

Notes to know

Arents hit her third home run of the year and the eighth of her career in the second inning.
Jenkins and Taylor Johnson each notched two hits against San Diego to finish the tournament with seven hits apiece.
The Badgers left eight runners on base while the Toreros stranded six runners.