EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Wisconsin softball team fell 5-2 on Thursday to No. 10 Northwestern in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Big Ten Softball Tournament at Secchia Stadium. 

Northwestern tacked on a run in the first and added two more in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead on the Badgers in the first meeting between the two teams this year.

The Badgers came close to scoring in the top of the third as UW loaded the bases but were unable to plate a run. Ally Miklesh collected the Badgers' first hit of the game with two outs before Kayla Konwent and Fiona Girardot were both hit by pitches by Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Danielle Williams, but UW was unable to capitalize. 

Megan Donahue launched a pinch-hit home run over the right field fence in the top of the fifth to cut the Wildcat's lead to two. 

Wisconsin hit a pair of doubles in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game. Payton Bannon got things going with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Jolie Fish hit a double to plate Bannon to make it a 3-2 game.

However, Northwestern added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach for the Badgers. 

Batting Cleanup
 - Both of the Badgers' RBI came from pinch hitters
 - Maddie Schwartz through the full game for Wisconsin with four strikeouts

Up Next: 
UW will await its fate in the 2022 NCAA Softball Tournament as the 64-team field will be announced on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.