Around the Horn: Badgers open at home against Nebraska

Friday, March 29

Madison, WI

3 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

University of Nebraska

Photo by: Ashley Steltenpohl

Around the Horn: Badgers open at home against Nebraska

March 28, 2024 | Softball

Goodman Diamond plays host for first time this season

By: Jake Ross

MADISON, Wis. – After 29 road and neutral site games, the Wisconsin softball team (12-17, 1-2) will make their 2024 home debut this Friday for a series against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The series comes a week after Wisconsin began conference play against the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, with the Badgers taking one of the three games.

Here's what you need to know before the series:

1. MAGNIFICENT MAGNANIMO – Wisconsin's first conference win of the season came off the heels of Tessa Magnanimo's brilliant performance on the mound. The fifth year went all seven innings in the 2-0 victory, letting up just three hits, one walk, no runs, and striking out five. It was Magnanimo's third shutout of the season, and the eighth for Wisconsin overall, tied for the most in the Big Ten.

2. TERRIFIC TRIO – The three Badgers who lead the team in hits – Ava Kuszak, Alivia Bark, and Hilary Blomberg – who enjoyed great success in the first conference series against Iowa. The triad of underclassmen combined to go 9-for-23 last week, with four extra-base hits and four runs scored. Kuszak collected one hit in each game, Bark scored two runs to add to her team-best 19, and Blomberg went collected three hits to bring her batting average to .355.

🔼5th | A Three-RBI Day!

After pitching the last inning, @BlombergHilary hits a two-run double!

WIS 4 | IOWA 8 pic.twitter.com/cYiatMFdCD
— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) March 23, 2024

3. SCARED OF SCHLOSSER – Junior Molly Schlosser has plenty of experience against Nebraska in her career. In six games against the Huskers, the outfielder is 7-for-17, with 6 RBI, a triple, a double, five walks, and just two strikeouts. Her seven hits against Nebraska are the most she's collected against a single team. Schlosser also had her first multi-RBI game against Nebraska during her freshman season in 2022.

4. OBSERVING THE OPPONENT – Nebraska currently stands at 18-13 on the year, picking up two conference wins against Illinois in their last series. The Cornhuskers lead the all-time series against Wisconsin 15-25, winning the last matchup 4-3. Nebraska's bats have been prolific, scoring the third most runs in the conference, while also hitting the third most home runs. The offense is chargered through Billie Andrews, who leads the conference with 12 home runs, and sports a 1.413 OPS. Conversely, Nebraska has given up the second most runs in the conference, despite an elite defense that leads in fielding percentage.

5. HOW TO WATCH – All three games will stream on Big Ten Plus, with the first occurring on Friday at 3 PM. Live stats for every game are available on the Badger softball schedule on uwbadgers.com, and live updates will be given on the @badgersoftball Facebook, X, and Instagram pages. Wisconsin Softball is played at Goodman Diamond. All tickets are general admission and sold at the event only. There are no advanced single game sales. Tickets go on-sale starting one hour prior to the event and are available at the ticket booth located right outside the entrance. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, and $2 for youth (2-17), UW students, and seniors (55+).