CONWAY, S.C. – The Wisconsin softball team (12-7) faced both sides of a comeback this Saturday in South Carolina - winning the first game against Bowling Green, 6-5, before falling to Coastal Carolina, 4-3.

 

GAME ONE

Wisconsin mounted one of its best comebacks in recent history, taking down Bowling Green, 6-5, after trailing 4-0 earlier in the game.

The Badgers trailed 4-0 after the first two innings of the game, and were down 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth.

The frame began with a lead-off home run from Hilary Blomberg to cut the deficit to just two runs. UW then turned a single from Hannah Conger into another run, thanks to a hit by pitch, a bunt, and finally a sacrifice fly from Ellie Hubbard to make it, 5-4. 

With a runner still on, Emmy Wells came up to the plate with two outs. She then smoked a pitch over the left field wall, giving the Badgers their first lead of the day, 6-5. The team closed things out with a one-two-three seventh inning to seal the comeback.
 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wisconsin Softball (@badgersoftball)

Kendra Lewis started the game, giving up the first three runs in the first inning, before Shelby Jacobson took her place.

Jacobson, who made just one appearance on the season coming into today, proceeded to pitch one of the best games of her career. She pitched the remaining 6.1 innings, striking out 11 batters, and giving up just one earned run. The junior collected her first win of the season.

The Badgers cut into the four-run deficit earlier in the bottom of the third. Three straight doubles from Emmy Wells, Molly Schlosser, and Alivia Bark, scored two runs to make it, 4-2. Bowling Green got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth, after a runner who reached-on-error scored off a single.

Seven of the Badger's nine hits went for extra bases, with the team finishing the game with 20 total bases - their second highest total in a game this season.
 

Batting Cleanup

• The last time the Badgers won a game after trailing by four runs was a 5-4 victory against Notre Dame on May 19, 2019.

• Emmy Wells and Hilary Blomberg each hit their first home runs of the season, with Wells finishing the game 2-for-3 including a double.

• Shelby Jacobson's 11 strikeouts on the day are a career-high. The last Badger to strike out 11 batters in a game was Gabi Salo against Purdue Fort Wayne on March 4, 2023. 

• Alivia Bark went 2-for-4 with two doubles. 

• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-4 with a double.

• Wisconsin is now 12-6, the last time the Badgers started a season 12-6 or better was in 2019.

GAME TWO

The second game of the day saw the Badgers on the other side of a comeback, falling to Coastal Carolina, 4-3.

Entering the sixth inning, Wisconsin led, 3-0 against the Chanticleers. Pitcher Molly Jacobson, who threw 5.0 innings of shutout softball before this inning, recorded the first two outs, but a single and a two-run home run gave her the first blemish of her great outing.

Coastal Carolina went on to collect three-straight hits, the last two coming off two-strike counts, scoring two runners, and regaining the lead, 4-3.

Despite a lead-off triple from Alivia Bark in the top of the seventh, UW was unable to bring home the tying run, dropping its first game of the Chanticleer Showdown.

Jacobson went 5.2 innings, giving up three earned runs off six hits. Gabi Salo, who came in relief during the sixth inning, was charged with the loss. She gave up one earned run and recorded one out.

All three of the Badger's runs came in the middle innings. Dani Lucey led off the top of the fourth with a double, before scoring the first run of the game off an error and a bunt from Ellie Hubbard. Katie Linkletter later scored on a double steal.

Hilary Blomberg drove in the Badger's final run in the fifth inning, scoring Emma King on a single.

Wisconsin stole four bases in the game, had a successful sacrifice hit, and committed no errors.

UW is now 3-1 in the Chanticleer Showdown.

Batting Cleanup

• Alivia Bark went 2-for-3 with a triple. Bark is on an eight-game hitting streak, and has at least two-hits in each of her last four games. She is 9-for-14 in the Chanticleer Showdown.

• Hilary Blomberg went 2-for-4 with an RBI. She is now 4-for-11 in the last three games.

Up Next:

The Badgers finish the Chanticleer Showdown tomorrow with a rematch against Bowling Green at 9 a.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.