MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin softball team (28-16, 8-8) swept its Wednesday double-header against North Dakota State, earning run-rule victories in both games.

GAME ONE

The Badgers ended game one quickly, dominating on both sides in an 8-0 run-rule victory.

Both teams took a few innings to get going, before the Badgers put up back-to-back four spots in the third and fourth innings.

UW had just one hit in the first two innings, before beginning to string them together in the bottom of the third. Alivia Bark started things off with an RBI-double, before Hilary Blomberg and Kendra Lewis each collected RBI singles in back-to-back at-bats.

The next inning was more of the same, with Wisconsin scoring four runs off four singles. Bark, Molly Schlosser, and Brooke Kuffel drove in the runs, with Kuffel's two-run knock putting the Badgers in run-rule territory with an 8-0 lead.

Gabi Salo closed things out in the top of the fifth, punctuating a brilliant complete game shutout. Salo collected the win, tossing 5.0 innings with five hits allowed and striking out three batters.

Wisconsin backed up Salo with good play in the field, committing no errors. Catcher Emmy Wells caught a runner trying to steal second base, while the team held NDSU to just 1-for-11 with runners on base.

Batting Cleanup

• Brooke Kuffel went 1-for-3 with three RBI. Kuffel now has 10 career 3-RBI games, tying her for the seventh most in program history.
• Alivia Bark went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-3 with an RBI. 
• Gabi Salo pitched her second shutout of the season and the seventh of her career. She lowered her ERA to 2.73 on the season.

 

GAME TWO

Wisconsin's second game of the day ended up being another run-rule victory, this time 10-1 in five innings.

A big five-run fourth inning put the Badgers into run-rule territory, with Kendra Lewis providing most of the damage with a three-run home run.

The scoring began with a two-run home run from Ellie Hubbard during the bottom of the second. 

NDSU scored a run of its own in the next frame, and threatened to score more, but a diving catch from Molly Schlosser got Wisconsin out of the inning.

The Badgers then put together three RBI-singles in the bottom of the third, coming from Hilary Blomberg, Brooke Kuffel, and Hubbard, giving UW a 5-1 lead heading into the fourth.

Back-to-back singles put two runners on base for Kendra Lewis, who went upstairs to blast a three-run home run over the right-center wall. UW managed to put additional runners back on after the bases had cleared. Up 8-1, Danielle Lucey took the at-bat with the bases loaded, delivering a two-run double down the line to give the Badger's a nine-run cushion.

Shelby Jacobson closed things out in the top of the fifth, giving Wisconsin its second run-rule victory of the day.

Earning the win was Molly Jacobson (10-3), pitching 4.0 innings and giving up just one earned run.

Batting Cleanup

• Hilary Blomberg went 3-for-3 in the game.
• Ellie Hubbard went 2-for-2 in both games of the double-header, hitting a home run, and driving in three runs.
• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-3 in each game of the double-header, stealing two bases in game two. Schlosser now has a team-best 16 stolen bases.
• Kendra Lewis went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run - her fifth of the season. 

Up Next:

The Badgers play a Saturday-Sunday-Monday series against Minnesota at Goodman Diamond. (CT). Games one and two stream on B1G+, with the third game airing on Big Ten Network.