MADISON, Wis. – In game two of the weekend series versus Michigan State, the Wisconsin softball team took a 2-0 series lead with a 8-4 win Saturday afternoon at Goodman Diamond.
The Badgers got on the board first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first off the bat of
Ally Miklesh, scoring
Eden Dempsey, who was pinch-running for
Kayla Konwent.
Wisconsin furthered its advantage in the second inning thanks to a base clearing hit from Miklesh that capitalized on a Spartan miscue.
Molly Schlosser started the inning with a hit and then Konwent was intentionally walked while
Fiona Girardot loaded the bases with another walk. Miklesh scored all three runners with a single up the middle that was misplayed by the MSU defense.
The Spartans scored a run in both the top of the third and fourth before
Kayla Konwent gave the Badgers some more insurance runs with a two-run home run to right field. It marked her eighth home run of the year.
MSU would not go away, scoring two runs on a Badger error in the sixth, but Wisconsin was able to respond yet again in the bottom of the inning. Another intentional walk to Konwent was followed up by a Girardot double and yet again another hit from Miklesh to score both runners.
Batting Cleanup
- Miklesh finished the day 3-3 from the plate with five RBI's
- Konwent's home run puts her one home run away from tying the school record
- Girardot went 2-3 on the day with two doubles.
- Saturday marked the Badgers' third Big Ten series win of the season.
Straight from the Diamond
Senior Outfielder Ally Miklesh
"We were locked in this week. We weren't letting a pitching staff dominate us on the mound. We were focused all week in practice and were ready to get it done. Tessa is super complimentary to Maddie because Maddie spins the ball really well and Tessa just chucks. Getting a mix of the spin and the speed is just awesome. This crowd really gets us going. They're the energy we needed, especially after last weekend."
Junior Pitcher Tessa Magnanimo
"It was so exciting and having the support of my teammates, the defense and offense behind me, it was awesome to be in front of our fans and play some good softball.
I love watching them hit the ball. Hitting is contagious, sometimes I wish I could go in and hit them. It is always nice seeing that they support me and have my back. It makes me more comfortable in the game."
Up Next: Wisconsin will cap off its series against the Spartans on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Goodman Diamond. Children ages 12 and under can hunt for colorful eggs in the outfield after the game.
