Wisconsin drops final game in Clearwater

Saturday, February 17

Clearwater, FLA

9 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

4-6

University of Washington

6-1

Wisconsin

Washington

Photo by: Ashley Steltenpohl

Wisconsin drops final game in Clearwater

February 17, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

Badgers lose to Washington 9-1

By: Jake Ross

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Wisconsin softball team (4-6) fell to Washington 9-1 in five innings during the final game of the Clearwater Invitational in Florida. Washington was the fourth ranked team that Wisconsin played during the tournament, with the Badgers losing all five of their matchups.

How It Happened

The Huskies dominated the game on both sides of the field. The Wisconsin pitching staff was unable to keep the ball out of play, registering just two strikeouts for the game, with one of those being a dropped-third strike that led to the Washington batter reaching safely.

Washington managed to score nine runs in the game with only one extra base-hit. Their big scoring frame was the third inning where they plated four. Only one hit left the infield, with runners reaching and scoring through a combination of walks, stolen bases, errors, and bunts.

The Badgers ultimately let up eight free passes in the form of walks, and the pitchers combined for five wild pitches. Shelby Jacobson started the game, went 2.1 innings with six runs allowed, four of them earned. Her record drops to 0-4.

Wisconsin's offense peaked early, managing to tie the game at one when Fiona Girardot hit a solo home run in the top of the second. From there however, the Badgers went hit-less until the fifth inning with a Emily Bojan pinch hit single. The bats couldn't seem to get anything going, with the team walking just twice in comparison to their seven strikeouts in five innings.

🔼2nd | We missed seeing these 🤩@girardot_fiona hits her first home run since returning from injury! Oh, and she also ties the game 😏

WIS 1 | WASH 1 pic.twitter.com/A3JgrjzAob
— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) February 17, 2024

Wisconsin's one run scored, and two hits are both season lows. This is also the first game of the season in which Wisconsin has lost in five innings of play.

Batting Cleanup

Fiona Girardot went 1-for-2 with a home run that drove in the only run for Wisconsin. This was Girardot's first home run since 5/22/22. She missed the entire 2023 season due to injury.
The Badgers have homered in nine consecutive games, one shy of their best streak from last season, spanning from March. 11 to April. 8.
Alivia Bark made her first career start at third base, leading the team with two assists.

Up Next: The Badger's play their next tournament, the Mary Nutter Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., next week. The games start with a double header against Oregon State and Missouri at 1:30 PM and 9:30 PM CT. Those games, and the later ones against San Diego, No. 1 Oklahoma, Long Beach State, and No. 13 Utah, will be streamed on Flosoftball. Links to live stats for both games can be found on our schedule page. Live updates will be given on the @badgersoftball Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.