MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin softball team (21-12, 5-4) swept its opening day double-header against Iowa, walking-off the Hawkeyes, 8-7 in game one, before collecting a 4-2 victory in game two.

GAME ONE

Wisconsin and Iowa engaged in a wild back-and-forth game, with the Badgers ultimately earning an 8-7 walk-off victory.

With the Badgers facing a 7-4 deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the team put together a dramatic rally. After an Alivia Bark RBI-triple cut the deficit to two, Molly Schlosser hit a clutch two-run home run to tie things up at seven apiece.

Hilary Blomberg singled in the next at bat, putting the winning run on base. Freshman Kendra Lewis then came up to the plate, roping a pitch into the center field wall. Wisconsin scored off Lewis' triple, giving the Badgers the walk-off victory.

Wisconsin started the game with a 4-0 lead, scoring in each of the first three innings. A Blomberg two-run homer started things off in the bottom of the first, before an Alivia Bark RBI-single, and a Kendra Lewis solo shot padded the UW lead. 

The Hawkeyes came back into the game with their own four-run inning. A three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning capped off an Iowa rally, knocking starter Gabi Salo out of the game, and giving the team a 5-4 lead. Iowa added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Freshman Jordan Felci earned her first career win despite only recording one out, entering in relief during the top of the seventh inning. Gabi Salo started the game, giving up five earned runs and striking out five batters in 4.0 innings of work. Molly Jacobson pitched 2.2 innings giving up two earned runs.

Batting Cleanup

• The Badger's walk-off victory was the team's first at Goodman Diamond since April 23, 2022. Wisconsin now has three walk-offs on the season, two of them coming at neutral sites.
• Wisconsin scored four runs to comeback from a three-run seventh inning deficit. It's the team's largest seventh-inning comeback since facing Notre Dame in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, when the team scored five runs to comeback from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning.
• Kendra Lewis went 3-for-4 in the game, a double shy of the cycle with a single, home run, and walk-off triple. Lewis is 19-for-35 in her 11-game hit streak, and is the first Badger to hit a triple and home run in the same game since Peyton Bannon in 2024.
• Hilary Blomberg hit her seventh home run of the season, matching her total from last season.
• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-4 with a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh. Schlosser previously hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh against Northwestern on April 15, 2023 - the first home run of her career.

GAME TWO  

Wisconsin collected its second victory of the day against Iowa, with great pitching and timely hits allowing for a 4-2 win.

The Badger pitching staff held Iowa to just two runs on five hits. Freshman Jordan Felci had a career performance, collecting the win after pitching 4.2 shutout innings, allowing no hits, one baserunner, and striking out four.

Wisconsin scored its runs in pairs. Dani Lucey started things off in the bottom of the second, hitting her sixth home run of the year to give the Badgers a 2-0 lead.

After Iowa tied things up in the third inning, the Badgers plated another two runners in the fourth. Following up on a game-tying home run in game one, Molly Schlosser collected the game-winning hit in game two, hitting an RBI single to give UW a 3-2 lead. Hilary Blomberg then doubled in the next at-bat to give Wisconsin a 4-2 lead that it wouldn't relinquish.

Wisconsin's two runs allowed is the team's lowest total against any conference opponent this season. The Badger's defense gave the support that Felci and starter Kendra Lewis needed, committing no errors on the day and turning a double-play.
 
Batting Cleanup

• With its 21st victory on the season, Wisconsin matches its previous win total from last season.
• Alivia Bark collected multiple hits in each game of the double-header. On the day, Bark went 4-for-7 with a triple and two RBI.
• Dani Lucey went 2-for-3 with a home run. Lucey has six home runs on the season, the second most on the team.
• Jordan Felci earned both wins for the Badgers, the first two victories of her career.

Up Next:

The Badgers conclude their home series against Iowa tomorrow at 12 p.m. The game will stream on B1G+.