Badgers victorious in first game against Rutgers

Friday, April 5

Piscataway, NJ

2 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

13-20, 2-5

Rutgers University

21-16, 3-4

Wisconsin

Rutgers

Hilary Blomberg celebrates first career home run

Photo by: Ashley Steltenpohl

Badgers victorious in first game against Rutgers

April 05, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

Blomberg's blast lifts Wisconsin to win in Piscataway

By: Jake Ross

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin softball team (13-20, 2-5) started off their series against Rutgers with a big win. The team took the lead in the third inning and never looked back thanks to an impressive outing from their starting pitcher, as well as timely hitting.

How It Happened:

One big swing proved to be the difference maker in this one.

The Badgers were down early, when Rutger's hit a long double off starter Tessa Magnanimo to give the Scarlet Knight's a 1-0 lead.

The game went scoreless from there until the top of the third. The Badgers worked some two-out magic, with a walk and a single, bringing up freshman Hilary Blomberg. Blomberg smoked the 3-1 pitch to left field, for her first career home run, plating three runners in the process.

🔼3rd | A SEISMIC SHOT FOR BLOMBERG!@BlombergHilary hits her first career home-run, a three-run blast to give the Badgers the lead!

WIS 3 | RUT 1 pic.twitter.com/NKtqJgg9QX
— Wisconsin Softball (@BadgerSoftball) April 5, 2024

The Wisconsin offense provided additional insurance for Magnanimo in the following innings. After Peyton Bannon doubled in the 4^th, the center fielder advanced to third on a wild pitch, before scoring on a squeeze play from Alivia Bark.

The following inning saw the Badgers load the bases, where Blomberg collected her fourth RBI of the day with a sac-fly that score pinch-runner Marytherese Nevin.

Magnanimo ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth innings, allowing six total baserunners in those innings, but got out of both jams while only allowing just one run to score. The fifth year pitcher was then tasked with closing out the game in seventh, which she did in just five pitches. The final score 5-2 Wisconsin

Magnanimo went all seven innings, allowing eight hits, two earned runs, and striking out three batters. She also picked up the win, improving her record to 6-9.

The Badgers did a good job of working out of tough spots. The defense played a clean game with no errors, with the outfield tracking down 13 Rutgers flyballs, despite the heavy winds in the game.

Wisconsin kept their lineup moving throughout the game. The team struck out just twice in the game, and smoked the ball. Four of the six hits in the game for the Badgers went for extra-bases.

Batting Cleanup

Hilary Blomberg went 1-for-2 with her first career home run, and four RBI on the day, a new career-high. The freshman currently leads the team with a .365 average.
Peyton Bannon went 1-for-3 with a double, and a run scored. The senior now has five extra-base hits in her last three games.
Fiona Girardot went 1-for-3 with a double, a run, and a walk. She is now 7-for-15 against Rutgers in her career.
This is the third straight game in which the Badgers collected four extra-base hits.

Up Next: The Badgers continue to play Rutgers, this time on TV, with the game being aired on the Big Ten Network at 11 AM CT. 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 page.