MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin's softball team will welcome Green Bay to Goodman Diamond for the team's first two home games of the season in the doubleheader this upcoming Tuesday, March 28. 

AROUND THE HORN

1. LAST TIME OUT: The Wisconsin women's softball team had a successful first weekend in conference play, winning two of its three games against Michigan State. The Badgers split their first day against the Spartans, winning 5-3 on Friday afternoon and losing the second game 3-8. Skylar Sirdashney hit her first home run of the year in the team's win to give Wisconsin a 3-1 lead. In the second game, graduate senior Kayla Konwent delivered with a solo home run of her own in an attempt to put the Badgers back in the game. Wisconsin came out ready to swing Sunday morning as the team put up ten hits in its 9-3 victory, capped off by a four-run, four-double hit fifth inning. 

2. KUDOS TO KUFFEL: Sophomore Brooke Kuffel accumulated a hit in each of the Badger's three games, hitting .500 on the weekend, the best average of any Badger player, going 3-for-6. In the series' final game, Kuffel was one of the four players to hit a two-base hit in the seventh inning as her shot to left-center scored Marytherese Nevin to add an insurance run. Kuffel also scored two runs while and finished with a slugging percentage of .667.

3. CLUTCH CRANE: Freshman Rylie Crane continues to shine in her first season with the Badgers, leading the team with a .359 batting average in the MSU series. The freshman had four hits at Michigan State and three RBI extending her hit streak to four. She also is tied for second on the team with 11 runs overall. Due to her recent offensive success and consistency at second base, the Arizona native has earned a start in the last nine straight games before she had only started three of the first eleven games previously. 

4. SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS: Wisconsin is scheduled for a Green Bay doubleheader this upcoming Tuesday for the first home games of the season. The two in-state teams are familiar rivals playing 46 times since 1996. The Badgers hold the advantage over the Horizon League opponent with a 34-11-1 record. This season, Green Bay has struggled with a 9-19 overall record and 1-3 start in conference play. The Phoenix's offense has been off to a slow start with only one player holding a batting average over .300. Graduate student Tiffany Giese currently leads her team with a .305 average accumulating 25 hits. Brittany Baneck leads the way in the circle with a 2.33 ERA in her 75-innings pitched. 

5. UP NEXT: Following the doubleheader, UW will remain home to host the University of Illinois this weekend. The first game will take place on Friday, March 31 at 5:00 p.m. with the next two scheduled for Saturday and Sunday both at 1:00 p.m. CT.