MADISON, Wis. – After beginning its home season with a sweep over Iowa, the Wisconsin softball team (22-12, 6-4) will go back on the road to face the Washington Huskies on Friday.
The three-game series runs through Friday to Sunday, with start times at 8 p.m., 5 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. (CT).
1. IOWA RECAP – After seven weeks of travel, Wisconsin played in its first home series at Goodman Diamond last week, taking down the Iowa Hawkeyes in all three games. The series started with a double-header that saw
Kendra Lewis hit a walk-off triple to win the game 8-7.
Jordan Felci's pitching performance led the Badgers to a 4-2 game two victory. The team scored five runs in an inning during game three, securing the sweep with a 7-5 win.
2. CLUTCH FACTOR  – Senior
Molly Schlosser not only had a great overall performance against Iowa, but she came up with some of the biggest hits of the series as well. Trailing 7-5 in game one, Schlosser homered in the bottom of the seventh to tie up the game, allowing for the Badger walk-off later. Game two saw Schlosser hit a go-ahead single in the bottom of the fourth breaking a 2-2 tie. Finally, the senior started a Wisconsin comeback in game three, hitting a two-RBI double to even the score with Iowa. Overall, Schlosser went 4-for-10 in the series with five RBI.
3. BARK BASHES – While Schlosser came up with the timely hits, it was sophomore
Alivia Bark who finished with the best numbers over the weekend. A Bettendorf, Iowa native, Bark collected multiple hits in every game of the series. Hitting lead-off, she went 6-for-10 on the weekend, with a double, triple, two walks and three RBI. For the season, Bark leads the team with a .366 batting average.
4. FELCI ON FIRE – On the pitching side, freshman
Jordan Felci had a breakout performance against Iowa. Felci made appearances in all three games of the series, collecting two wins. Her best outing came in game two, where she pitched 4.2 relief innings to finish the game. Felci didn't allow a single hit in those innings, with just one baserunner reaching via a walk. In ten appearances this season, Felci has a 1.95 ERA
5. WATCHING WASHINGTON  – Wisconsin's next opponent is the Washington Huskies, who are new to the Big Ten Conference this season. The Huskies are 26-9 with a 4-2 mark in conference play, including a win over No. 8 Oregon. While Washington ranks top ten in the conference in most hitting statistics, the team really stands out with its pitching. The Huskies have the third best ERA in the league with a 2.37 mark, and 11 shutouts on the season. The team's three-player rotation of Sophia Ramuno, Stevie Hansen and Morgan Reimer each sport an ERA under 2.21. Washington has won all six games it has played against Wisconsin.
