IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The Wisconsin softball team completed a sweep of Iowa on Sunday, dispatching the Hawkeyes 9-3 and 13-1 to extend its winning streak to eight game. 

Maddie Schwartz earned a pair of wins in the circle for the Badgers (17-7, 3-0 Big Ten) as the senior went 10 innings, allowing only three earned runs while striking out eight Hawkeyes (16-13, 0-3 Big Ten). 

The Badgers raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, setting the tone for the rest of the day. Peyton Bannon launched a three-run home run, scoring Fiona Girardot and Molly Schlosser to give UW a 3-0 lead with only one out. After Ally Miklseh and Skylar Sirdashney got on base with bunt singles, Miklesh scored on a Hawkeye miscue. 

The Badgers put up five more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Miklesh had a RBI single to score Kayla Konwent before Jolie Fish launched a base-clearing triple, lifting UW to an 8-0 advantage. Fish later scored in the inning thanks to wild pitch.

Maddie Schwartz earned the win in the circle, allowing only two earned runs in five innings of work with four strikeouts. Tessa Magnanimo came in in relief, pitching two innings while giving up only one run, which was unearned. 

Girardot and Miklesh both enjoyed multi-hit games while Fish had four RBI to pace the offense. Kayla Konwent was intentionally walked in all five of her plate appearances, not seeing a single strike all game. 

Similar to game one, UW got off to a hot start in the second game, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. After another Konwent intentional walk, sophomore Alyssa McClelland pinch ran for Konwent while Bannon drew another walk for UW. A double steal put Badgers at second and third. Next, Sirdashney stepped up to the plate with selfless intentions, perfectly executing a sacrifice suicide squeeze bunt to score McClelland and then drawing a throw out at second base, allowing Bannon to score on the play as well.

In the second inning, freshman Brooke Kuffel hit the first home run of her career, a two-run long ball to center field. Kuffel scored herself and Christaana Angelopulos who was on base via a walk. 

With things coming in pairs, Wisconsin added two more runs in the fourth inning after Iowa notched its only run in the third. An Angelopulos single followed by another Konwent intentional walk put runners on for Girardot. A hard ball over the left fielders head went down as a double for Girardot as she scored both baserunners and advanced to third on the throw home.

Wisconsin broke things open and entered mercy rule territory by scoring seven runs in the sixth inning thanks to  hits from Sirdashney, Girardot, Miklesh, Hubbard and two hits from Kuffel.

Schwartz went five innings in the night cap, allowing only three hits while earning four strikeouts. 

UW's 13 runs against Iowa on Sunday are a season-high mark and also are the most UW has scored against a Big Ten team since UW earned a 13-0 win against Penn State on March 29, 2019. The Badgers totaled 32 runs on 32 hits over the three game series.

Straight from the Diamond
Head Coach Yvette Healy
"What a great start to Big Ten play! The entire Badger softball team showed so much toughness and pride competing in the cold. It all starts in the circle, and Maddie Schwartz was dominant the entire series!

Battling Cleanup

• After hitting two home runs against the Hawkeyes on Friday, Konwent was intentionally walked eight times during Sunday's doubleheader. Her five walks in the first game set a school record. 
• UW extended its winning streak to eight games, the program's longest win streak since UW won 11 straight during the 2019 season. 
• Girardot and Kuffel both tallied three hits in Wisconsin's game two win.
• UW has won 10 of its last 11 games against the Hawkeyes.

Up Next:
UW returns to Goodman Diamond for its first home series of the season and its first home series with fans since May of 2019. The Badgers will take on Indiana on Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.