MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin softball team (33-19, 11-11) won both of its doubleheader games against Green Bay on Wednesday. Both victories came with the run-rule, with the Badgers taking game one, 8-0, and game two, 14-2.

GAME ONE

Wisconsin earned a run-rule victory in game one, winning the game in the sixth inning.

Leading 7-0 after five innings, freshman Emma King reached base on a single, before making it to scoring position on a throwing error. That set things up for senior Kate Linkletter, who sealed the victory with an RBI double over the left fielder's head.

Wisconsin started their scoring barrage in the first inning, putting up a four spot. Hilary Blomberg and Emmy Wells each brought home a runner with a single and double respectively, before Brooke Kuffel finished off the inning with a two-run single. 

It took until the bottom of the fifth before Wisconsin found the scoring column again. After the first two hitters reached base, Hilary Blomberg smacked her 12th home run of the season, clearing the wall for three more runs.

In between those two big innings, Gabi Salo (14-10) locked Green Bay down on the mound. The senior earned the victory with 5.0 shutout innings of one-hit ball. Salo struck out four batters, before handing things off to Shelby Jacobson, who pitched the final inning of the game. In total, the pitching staff allowed just two hits to Green Bay.

Wisconsin collected eight hits on the day, and showed up defensively. Alivia Bark made the start at third base, collecting three assists including a highlight diving play. Kendra Lewis matched Bark's effort by diving in the outfield to rob a batter of extra bases.

Batting Cleanup

• Kate Linkletter went 1-for-2 with the game-sealing RBI double. It's the senior's first hit of the season, and her first since April of 2023.
• Linkletter's double was the 84th double by the Badgers this season - surpassing the 2019 team's program record for team doubles in a season.
• Hilary Blomberg went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Blomberg is up to 12 home runs on the season, placing her in a tie for the fourth most in a single season for Wisconsin.
• Brooke Kuffel went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
• Kendra Lewis' hit streak of 13-straight games came to an end.

 

GAME TWO

Wisconsin put up one of its biggest run totals of the season in game two, coming up with the 14-2 win in five innings.

The majority of Wisconsin's runs came in the bottom of the second, where the Badgers put up a season-best eight runs in the inning. The two teams were tied 2-2 entering that frame, before Wisconsin went off for five RBI hits in the inning. Molly Schlosser doubled to bring home two, before Brooke Kuffel, Hilary Blomberg, Ellie Hubbard, and Kate Linkletter all added additional runs.

Wisconsin scored four more runs in the third inning, with freshman Emma King singling in a run, and Ellie Hubbard collecting her second two-RBI hit of the game - this time a double.

The Badger's first two runs came off the bat of Emmy Wells, who nabbed first-inning RBI in the second straight game.

Kendra Lewis (3-4) took the win, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing two earned runs. The Badger bullpen didn't allow a single run, with Jordan Felci pitching 1.1 innings, Shelby Jacobson pitched 0.2, and Mattie Beliveau pitched 1.0.

In total, Wisconsin put up 14 hits, and hit five doubles. Hubbard, Kuffel, Wells, and Schlosser all collected multiple RBI. 

Batting Cleanup

• Wisconsin's eight runs in the second inning are the most the team has scored in an inning this season.
• Molly Schlosser went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, a walk, and three runs scored. Across both games, Schlosser reached in five plate appearances and scored all five times she reached. She now has 50 runs scored on the season, becoming the fourth Badger ever to score 50+ runs in a single season.
• Ellie Hubbard went 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI.
• Brooke Kuffel went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Kuffel now has 97 RBI in her career, three shy of the 100 mark.
• Kate Linkletter went 2-for-3 with an RBI. It's the senior's first career multi-hit game. 

Up Next:

The Badgers end the regular season with a Friday double-header against Omaha. The games are set for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (CT). Wisconsin's seniors will be honored throughout the games. Both contests stream on Big Ten Plus.