TAMPA, Fla. – The Wisconsin softball team (14-10), played in the championship game of the USF Tournament and won in a convincing fashion with a 9-0 run-rule shutout win against the University of Massachusetts.
 
The Badgers had a program record of five home runs in a single game against the Minutemen. Lauren Foster hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first to give UW a 6-0 lead. She brought in Caroline Hedgcock, Morgan Kummer and Abby Herbst. Hedgcock and Kummer both hit singles down the right field line and Herbst was walked.
 
Two other home runs came in the first inning from Kayla Konwent and Taylor Johnson. Konwent hit her third home run of the weekend and Johnson her second.
 
Caroline Hedgcock kicked off the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run herself. This gave the Badgers a 7-0 lead.
 
To cap it off, previous Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Fiona Girardot, hit a two-run home run on the bottom of the fourth that allowed for the Badgers to get the 9-0 run-rule win. Her, along with Heather Rudnicki scored after she pinch ran for Konwent that was walked.
 
The Badger defense was a huge contributor to the shutout win. Starting in the circle for UW was Kaitlyn Menz, who pitched three innings and tallied two strikeouts. Maddie Schwartz came in the top of the fourth and finished the game with three strikeouts.
 
The Wisconsin softball team capped off the weekend with claiming the championship as well as hitting a program record of 13 home runs in one weekend of play.
 
On Deck:
After five straight weekends of tournament play, the Badgers are looking to take a break this week. They will resume play the following week when they head out to Villanova, Pennsylvania, on March 18 to face Villanova at noon and St. Joe's at 2:30 p.m.