MADISON, Wis. – After finishing conference play against Northwestern, the Wisconsin softball team (31-19, 11-11) ends its regular season with a Wednesday doubleheader against Green Bay, as well as a Friday doubleheader against Omaha.Â
Wednesday's games take place at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., while senior day on Friday will happen at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m..
1. NORTHWESTERN RECAP – Wisconsin faced Northwestern in a close series that came down to the final inning of play. After dropping game one, Wisconsin bounced back in a big way during game two, homering three times for an 8-2 victory, with
Molly Jacobson pitching a complete game on the mound. Game three saw Wisconsin fall in heartbreaking fashion, leading 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh, before losing on a walk-off home run.Â
2. LEWIS LIGHTS IT UP – The Badgers hit five home runs in its series against the Wildcats, with two of them coming from freshman
Kendra Lewis. Lewis hit a three-run home run in game two, before going 3-for-4 the next day with a triple and home run. In total, Lewis went 6-for-11 with two home runs, a triple, and six RBI. Her .422 average on the season is not only on pace to break the freshman record for batting average in a season, but it would stand as the third highest average by any Badger in a single season.Â
3. GET TO KNOW GREEN BAY – The Badgers first double-header of the week is against Green Bay, who is 14-27 on the season. The Badgers and the Phoenix have both played St. Thomas and Bowling Green, with Wisconsin sporting a 4-0 record against those teams, and Green Bay going 1-6. Freshman Sara Ebner leads the way, hitting .413 while playing in all 41 games. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 34-11-1, last playing in 2018. The Badgers have won eight of the last nine matchups, with the last four wins all coming via the run-rule.Â
4. OMAHA ON DECK – The next double-header opponent for Wisconsin is Omaha, who the Badgers previously faced off against this season at the FGCU Invitational. Omaha won that matchup, 7-0, and didn't slow down, owning a 35-10 record. The Mavericks are winners in 14 of their last 15 contests, and are led by sophomore Maddia Groff. Groff has 212 strikeouts and a 1.33 ERA in 157.2 innings pitched - and had a 12-strikeout shutout against the Badgers in its game against each other. Wisconsin still leads the all-time series, 3-1.
5. SENIOR DAY – The double-header against Omaha also serves as senior day, honoring nine Badgers during the two games. Pitchers
Gabi Salo and
Molly Jacobson as well as position players
Grace O'Brien,
Kate Linkletter,
Brooke Kuffel,
Molly Schlosser,
Ellie Hubbard,
Emmy Wells, and
Eden Dempsey make up the senior class. The seniors will throw out the first pitch of game one, and will individually be recognized throughout the day.
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