Badgers come up short in game one against Penn State

Friday, April 19

Madison, WI

3 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

16-25, 0

Penn State University

31-11, 0

Penn State

Wisconsin

Photo by: Nolan Kromke

Badgers come up short in game one against Penn State

April 19, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

Wisconsin falls 3-1 in a pitcher's duel

By: Jake Ross

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin softball team (16-25, 5-10) lost the first game in their series against Penn State. Despite a good start from Tessa Magnanimo, the Badger bats were stifled by Penn State pitcher, Bridget Nemeth who allowed just one run on two hits. Wisconsin ultimately fell 3-1.

How it Happened:
Penn State's Bridget Nemeth cruised through the beginning of the game. The Badgers were no-hit through the first five innings of the game. The Badgers struck out 11 times on the day, the most in any seven inning game this season.

On the flip side, Wisconsin's starter, Tessa Magnanimo, fell behind early allowing a solo shot in the top of the second. Two singles and a triple brought two more runners across the plate in the top of the third, making it 3-0 PSU.

From there, Magnanimo settled into the game, allowing zero runs in the final four frames. Magnanimo went all seven innings, allowing three earned runs, and striking out three. Her record is now 9-12 after the loss.

The Badgers broke the no-hitter up in the sixth inning, when Ava Kuszak smacked a double off the center field wall. The next inning, Brooke Kuffel ruined Penn State's chance of a shutout when she hit a long drive to center field in the seventh inning, this time the ball clearing the wall.

Wisconsin reached base in the next at-bat, putting the tying run up to the plate with just one out, but were unable to advance the runner. The Badgers fell to the Nittany Lions 3-1.

After a defensive miscue in the first couple of innings, the Badger defense made a number of good plays to back up Magnanimo's great performance. Fiona Girardot made a pair of diving grabs at first base, Emmy Wells threw out a would-be base stealer, and Ellie Hubbard threw out a runner attempting to score, keeping the deficit at three. It was the support Magnanimo needed to throw her 11^th complete game of the season, her second complete game in as many starts.

🔼6th | "No runs for you!"@Ellie_Hubbs throws out the runner at home and keeps the deficit at three.

WIS 0 | PSU 3 pic.twitter.com/njkXpBfU7O
— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) April 19, 2024

Batting Cleanup

Magnanimo threw a no-hit shutout in her last start and threw another complete game today. In her last 16.0 innings of work, Magnanimo has allowed just three earned runs.
Brooke Kuffel hit her eighth home run of the season, the second most on the team. Kuffel is 7-for-18 in her last six games with two home runs.
Ava Kuszak went 1-for-3 with a double. It's her 11^th double of the season, surpassing Alivia Bark for the team lead.

Up Next: The Badgers continue to play Penn State tomorrow at 1 PM. The game can be watched on Big Ten Plus. Live stats are available on the Badger softball schedule on uwbadgers.com, and live updates will be given on the @badgersoftball Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.