CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Wisconsin softball team (16-8) finished the Saluki invitational this Sunday with a walk-off victory against Northern Illinois, 5-2, before falling to Southern Illinois, 7-3.

GAME ONE

The Badgers once again faced Northern Illinois, repeating their late-inning victory over the Huskies from yesterday.

With the game tied, 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Badgers put two runners on base for sophomore Hilary Blomberg. She then ended the game by sending a pitch over the wall for a three-run, walk-off home run, allowing for a 5-2 victory.

The game was scoreless through four innings, before each team began trading lone runs in the fifth and sixth. Ellie Hubbard answered a NIU score by collecting an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. After the Huskies scored another run in sixth, the Badgers answered by loading the bases and scoring off a hit-by-pitch.

It was Gabi Salo who started the game for the Badgers, keeping the Huskies at bay. Salo retired the first 12 batters in order, before finally letting up her first base runner, and run, in the fifth inning.

Salo went all 7.0 innings, allowing just two hits, one earned run, and striking out three batters. Her record improves to 8-3 on the season.

Batting Cleanup

• Hilary Blomberg went 4-for-4 in the game with a walk-off home run. Blomberg is the first Badger to record four hits in a game since Kayla Konwent did so against Illinois on 4/10/2022.
• The last time the Badgers hit a walk-off home run was during the 2019 NCAA tournament, when Stephanie Lombardo hit a three-run shot to beat Notre dame on 5/18/2019.
• Gabi Salo lowered her season ERA to 1.20. She now has five complete games for the season.
• Wisconsin is on a four-game winning streak, and are 16-7 to start the season - its best start since 2022.

GAME TWO

Southern Illinois got the best of Wisconsin in the teams' rematch from yesterday, with the Badgers falling, 7-3.

The Salukis rode a big fourth inning to victory, plating four runs in the bottom frame - a three-run homer in the inning making up the majority of the scoring outburst.

UW struggled defensively in the game, committing five errors. Of the seven runs that Wisconsin gave up, only two were earned.

Wisconsin got on the board first, scoring quickly in the top of the first inning. Kendra Lewis singled to drive in the first run, before an Emily Bojan walk with the bases loaded scored the second.

Brooke Kuffel provided the only other run for Wisconsin, a solo home run in the fifth inning.

Four badger pitchers made appearances. Molly Jacobson started the game, going 2.0 innings and giving up one earned run. Kendra Lewis took the loss after pitching in the Saluki's big fourth inning, no runs were charged against her in 1.2 innings. 

Shelby Jacobson and Jordan Felci each made relief appearances, with Felci going 2.1 innings not allowing an earned run.

Batting Cleanup

• The Badgers finish the Saluki Invitational with a 3-1 record.
• Kendra Lewis went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. 
• Brooke Kuffel went 1-for-3 with a home run - the 18th of her career.

Up Next:

The Badgers begin conference play next week with a three-game series at Illinois. The first game of the Friday-Saturday-Sunday series begins at 5 p.m. (CT) at Eichelberger Field.