MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin softball team (28-21 overall) battled through nearly six hours of delays Friday during their second round Big Ten Tournament game against Minnesota but were unable to top the Minnesota Gophers (37-15), dropping a 6-0 decision.
 
The game originally started on schedule at 11 a.m. but was stopped after 12 minutes of play as the rain started effecting play. After a 45-minute delay, play briefly resumed before the rain returned and the grounds crew put down the tarp. Minnesota took a 2-0 lead into the break with one out and two on in the bottom of the first.
 
Almost five hours later the two teams returned to the field to finish up the first inning. The Gophers added two more runs but Jordan Little made a spectacular diving catch in shallow right to stop the scoring there.
 

Nothing little about this play...

Wisconsin's Jordan Little comes up BIG for @BadgerSoftball?? pic.twitter.com/GRBvsJwjS4

— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) May 12, 2018

Forty-five minutes later the game was paused again, this time for a helicopter to come in and dry out the field. The stadium was cleared, dried and refilled in 45 minutes. The bottom of the fourth resumed at 6:32 p.m.
 

So this is happening..... there is indeed a helicopter on the field. ?? it's like a giant hair dryer right @B1Gsoftball? We will do what it takes. pic.twitter.com/0FnD8jEsbx

— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) May 11, 2018

The Gophers scored a run in the fifth and six innings, helping them secure 6-0 tournament win.
 
Sophomore Kaitlyn Menz pitched all six innings for the Badgers. She struck out three batters and only gave up one walk.
 
 
Notes to know

• Minnesota outhit Wisconsin 10-2.
• Brooke Wyderski and Melanie Cross each tallied a hit in the game.
• This season senior Kelsey Jenkins scored 42 runs to become UW's all-time career runs leader at 179.
• Due to a series of weather delays on Friday, the tournament's fourth quarterfinal game between No. 4 seed Northwestern and 12^th-seeded Iowa has been postponed and rescheduled to 10:30 a.m. (CT) Saturday, with that game still slated to be televised live on BTN.