ST. GEORGE, Utah. – The Wisconsin softball team (9-11) fell in both games in today's doubleheader against Utah, coming up short in a 9-8 loss in nine innings, and then losing their second game 6-2. Wisconsin had previously beaten this Utah team 4-2 back when the Utes were ranked #20.
 
Here's how it went down:

GAME ONE

The Badgers got off to a rough start to begin game one, and had difficulties righting the ship the whole day against the Utes. Pitcher Gabi Salo got out of jams in the first two innings of play, but Utah broke the scoreless tie in the third inning. A series of bunts, errors, and singles brought across three runners in the inning.
 
The fifth inning didn't go much better as another Wisconsin error allowed two runners to make it 5-0 Utah.
 
Wisconsin, with just one hit up to this point, started to mount a comeback in the bottom of the inning. Two batters reached base to set up Ava Kuszak, who hit a three-run homer run to left center to cut the deficit to two.

Utah tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth with another RBI single, but Wisconsin responded in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. Skylar Sirdashney singled to score pinch runnerPaige Miller. Then a Utah wild pitch, allowed another Wisconsin runner to score, before Sirdashney went full circle around the basepaths to even up the game, scoring on a passed ball.
 
With neither team able to score in the seventh, the game went into extras. Utah plated their automatic runner with a single, but Wisconsin managed to stay alive, with Peyton Bannon scoring on a field's choice.
 
In the ninth inning, Utah's first batter of the inning hit a two run homer to left field, before the remaining batters went down 1-2-3.
 
Alivia Bark managed to get one of those runs back with a lead-off RBI double, but ultimately the Wisconsin Rally came up short, losing in nine innings.
 
Salo went all nine innings for the Badgers, with only five of her nine runs allowed being earned. Her record dropped to 5-2.
 

Batting Cleanup

• This was the second extra-inning game for the Badgers this season. They are now 0-2 in those games.
• Ava Kuszak, with her three-run home-run, now has four extra base hits in her last six games. This was her second career three-RBI game.
• Skylar Sirdashney now has five RBI in her last six games.
• This was Gabi Salo's second career double-digit strikeout game. Her ten strikeouts this game were one shy of her career high 11 from last season.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day took place immediately after, with Tessa Magnanimo getting the start.
 
The Utes once again got off to a big lead, scoring four runs in the first inning. This time however, they would not relinquish it, winning 6-2.
 
Both of the Badger's runs came from solo home runs. The first came in the third inning courtesy of Peyton Bannon, her third of the year. The second came from Emmy Wells in the fifth inning.
 
Magnanimo was chased out of the game in the first inning, taking the loss. Shelby Jacobson would come into relief to pitch 5.2 innings with only one earned run allowed and three strikeouts.
 
The Badgers made five errors on the day, with only four of the six runs allowed being earned.

Batting Cleanup

• Hilary Blomberg notched a hit in both games for the day, extending her hitting streak to eight.
• Emmy Well's home run in the fifth inning was her sixth of the year. She now leads the team in home runs.
• This was the first game Wisconsin had five total errors since an April. 21 match against Nebraska last season.

Up Next: The Badgers finish the Utah Tech Invitational tomorrow with one last game against Utah, the fourth game between the two teams this season. The game is set for 10 AM. Links to live stats can be found on our schedule page. Live updates will be given on the @badgersoftball Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.