Wisconsin Badgers
Texas State University
Around the Horn: The Badgers are off to Texas for Bevo Classic
March 06, 2023 | Softball
Wisconsin will head to one more tournament before Big Ten play
| Venue | Red & Charline McCombs Field | Austin, Texas |
| Live Statistics |  Texas State (Game 1) | Texas | Texas State (Game 2) | Texas | Alabama |
| Watch | Â Texas |
| Game Notes | Â Wisconsin |
| Social Media |  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin softball team is coming off another 4-0 weekend while at the Hoosier Classic in Bloomington, Indiana. The Badgers are currently on a hot streak and have won the last eight games in a row while going undefeated in its last two tournaments and look to do the same in its final one in Texas.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:Â
1. LAST TIME OUT: Despite changes to the tournament schedule, Wisconsin came out ready to play Saturday afternoon. The Badgers went up against Purdue Fort Wayne at 2:00 p.m. and came away with a 3-0 victory after two RBI-doubles, a sac-fly and a great showing from pitcher Gabi Salo, who struck out a career-high11 batters. In the next game of the double header against the Mastodons, Wisconsin came out on top for the second time that day, winning 5-0. Sunday called for two more games, the first being against IUPUI. The Badgers absolutely dominated, winning 11-2 in six innings in the first matchup. The morning game ended on a bases-loaded 3-RBI double hit by freshman Emily Bojan. Wisconsin then prepared for the first Big Ten opponent of the year, the Indiana Hoosiers. The two conference opponents went back and forth in the first two innings, until the Badgers blew the game wide open scoring six in the third and four in the fourth. Wisconsin added one more run in the fifth inning to run-rule the Hoosiers and win the game 12-1.Â
2. HOT HITTERS: Although the Badger bats started out slow, the team's offense has clearly found its groove. At the Hoosier Classic in the four games played, Wisconsin accumulated 38 hits, averaging 9.5 a game. Rylie Crane was the star of the show going 6-for-8 with a .624 batting average.12 different Badgers contributed to those 38 hits. One of those being freshman Emily Bojan, who hit the 3-RBI, bases loaded double to end game one on Sunday in her first collegiate at-bat. In the next game against Indiana, Bojan kept her average at 1.000 hitting a single in just her second time up at the plate for Wisconsin.Â
3. SALO SHINES: The junior from Michigan had only appeared in six games in the 2022 season, four weeks into the spring of 2023, she has already reached that benchmark. At the Hoosier Classic, Gabi Salo picked up two wins in her two appearances, accumulating 14 strikeouts, the most of any Badger pitcher over the weekend. Her 11 K's against Purdue Fort Wayne was a career-high for Salo and led to her third win. In the 11 innings she pitched,  Salo amassed a 0.82 ERA, while allowing just one run and one walk.
4. SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS: The upcoming Bevo Classic will bring a new set of challenges that will test the Badger team in a new way this weekend. Wisconsin will face Texas State first on Friday morning at 11 a.m. The Bobcats are currently 16-5 and are led by sophomore Ciara Trahan, who holds a .386 batting average in the 21 games shes played. Wisconsin will then turn to No.9/11 Texas at 1:30 p.m., a powerhouse that holds a 17-2-1 record, with its only losses coming to other ranked teams. Freshman Vivana Martinez is currently shining for the Longhorns as a star shortstop and power hitter with a .534 batting average bringing in 21 runs and accumulating 33 hits so far this year. The Badgers will face the same two teams on Saturday but will then go up against the University of Alabama on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Alabama has amassed 17 wins and just three losses on the season thanks to legendary pitcher Montana Fouts. Fouts is currently the SEC pitcher of the week after throwing three shutouts and Alabama's eighth perfect game in program history. Kenleigh Cahalan and Ashley Prange have led the way on offense with 22 and 21 hits respectively.Â
5. UP NEXT: This tournament in Austin, Texas will be the last set of games before Big Ten play begins. Michigan State will be the first team the Badgers face in conference play starting March 24-March 26. Wisconsin will then return home and play in-state opponent Green Bay for a double header on Tuesday, March 28 at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m.
