MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin softball team (17-25, 6-10) won their second game against Penn State in historic fashion. Tying the program record for runs scored in a dominant 17-3 victory. The Badgers hit three home runs and scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to mercy rule the Nittany Lions.
How it Happened:
Wisconsin scored 3+ runs in three different innings. The first occurring during the second inning, when
Ava Kuszak doubled to put the first two runners on the board for Wisconsin. The next at-bat,
Hilary Blomberg added two more with a single, making it 4-0 Badgers.
Starter
Tessa Magnanimo gave up a solo home run and an RBI walk in the top of third, but Wisconsin retaliated with three more runs in the bottom frame.
Brooke Kuffel and
Peyton Bannon reached base to set up
Skylar Sirdashney for a huge three-run home run, giving the Badgers a 7-2 lead.
The fourth inning proved to be the show-stopper for the Badgers.
Ava Kuszak started it off with a bang, blasting a ball to left center for her seventh home run on the season. From then on, the next ten Wisconsin batters reached base, with the only out coming from a fielders choice.
Alivia Bark's two-RBI doubled brought the Badger lead up to eight, putting the run-rule into place. Two batters later, with the bases load,
Skylar Sirdashney came back around and hit her second home run of the game and inning.
Hilary Blomberg finished off the home run barrage with a three-run blast of her own, her second hit of the inning. By the end of the inning, the score was 17-2.
Shelby Jacobson came in relief to close out the game, giving up a solo homerun to Penn State, before recording the final out. A 17-3 victory for the Badgers.
Tessa Magnanimo picked up the win, now 10-12 for the season. She pitched 4.0 innings, giving up just four hits and two earned runs. Magnanimo fielded the ball five times in the game and also struck out two batters.
Shelby Jacobson pitched 1.0 innings, allowing a solo home run, but striking out two batters.
Batting Cleanup
- Skylar Sirdashney went 2-for-2 with two home runs and seven RBI. She is the fifth player in program history to record 7+ RBI in a single game.
- Ava Kuszak went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and three RBI. She is 15-for-31 at home this season, and has four home runs in eight games.
- Hilary Blomberg went 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI.
- The last time a Badger grand slam occurred was on March 12, 2017 by Brooke Wyderski at Colorado State.
Up Next: The Badgers finish their series against 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.
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