TAMPA, Fla. – The Wisconsin softball team (8-4) earned a pair of victories at the South Florida Showdown this Friday, including a historic, 12-4 victory over USF. Wisconsin faced Louisville earlier in the day, with another good offensive performance earning them the 4-1 victory.

GAME ONE

Wisconsin struck first, and stayed ahead through the whole game, taking down Louisville, 4-1.

Despite Louisville outhitting the Badgers, 7-6, Wisconsin put runs on the board thanks to a combination of power and timing.

UW scored three of its four runs with two outs, including its first two of the game. Emily Bojan singled two runners home in the bottom of the second, giving Wisconsin the lead.

Wisconsin's other runs in the games came off extra base hits. Dani Lucey hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to increase the lead to three, and Brooke Kuffel collected an RBI double in the fifth inning to answer a Louisville score.

The Badgers had four extra base hits in total, with Molly Schlosser and Ellie Hubbard each collecting a double as well.

The pitching staff for UW had a balanced showing, with three pitchers going 2.0+ innings. Kendra Lewis started the game, going 2.1 innings with no runs allowed. She faced a jam in the top of the third, giving up back-to-back singles. Molly Jacobson came in relief and got out of the inning unscathed.

Jacobson earned the win, going 2.2 innings with three hits allowed. She gave up the lone Louisville run in the top of the fifth off an RBI single.

It was Gabi Salo who closed out the game, pitching 2.0 innings with two strikeouts, and allowing just one baserunner.

The Badger defense backed up the pitchers, fielding a clean game with no errors. The infield recorded putouts on nine ground balls, and turned a double play.

Batting Cleanup

• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base.
• Dani Lucey hit her second home run of the season, and now leads the team. Lucey had not yet hit a home run coming into the season.

 

GAME TWO

Wisconsin took on USF in the second game of the night, displaying their best offensive game of the season with a 12-4, six-inning victory.

The Badgers hit a program record eight doubles in the victory, making up the most of Wisconsin's 12 hits overall. In addition to their 21 total bases, Wisconsin drew 10 walks in the game. 

The offense started early and didn't relent. In the top of the first inning, the Badgers scored five runners - all with two outs. Brooke Kuffel, Alivia Bark, and Kendra Lewis all had extra base hits in the inning. 

From there, Wisconsin scored in every inning except for the third. Freshman Kendra Lewis ended up driving in six runs for the game, all coming off of doubles. Five Badgers reached base three times in the game including Emily Bojan who walked three times and doubled.

With the Badgers leading 10-3, USF was on the doorstep of coming back into the game. South Florida had the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, before hitting the ball to deep center field. Danielle Lucey saved an extra base hit off the wall, crashing into centerfield for the final out of the inning.

UW was two out away from closing things out in five-innings, with a 11-3 lead. USF then homered to extend the game by one inning. The Badgers plated one more run across in the top of the sixth, however, allowing the game to end in six innings.

Kendra Lewis added to her historic game with a win on the mound, pitching the first 2.1 innings of the game. She gave up the first three USF runs in the game before Molly Jacobson and Gabi Salo came in for relief.

Salo stood out, pitching the last 2.1 innings. She collected four strikeouts, and gave up just one hit - the solo home run in the sixth inning.


Batting Cleanup

• The Badgers eight doubles in a game are the most in program history. Wisconsin never reached seven doubles before tonight, with the team hitting six doubles on three prior occasions.
• Kendra Lewis matched the program record for doubles in a game with three. It's the first time a Badger had three doubles in a game since Brooke Wyderski did so in March of 2017. Lewis also collected six-RBI in a game for the 12th time in program history
• Wisconsin walked 10 times in a game for the first time since 3/27/22.
• Hilary Blomberg went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
• Alivia Bark went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
• Brooke Kuffel went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. 
• Emily Bojan went 1-for-2 with a double and three walks.
• Wisconsin's 12 runs are the most runs the team's scored in a game this season, the most it's put up since 4/20/24. This is also the first run-rule victory the Badgers have collected this season.

 

Up Next:

The Badgers continue the South Florida Showdown with a double header against Troy (3 p.m. CT) and Kent State (5:15 p.m. CT). 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.