Badgers sweep day one of Paradise Classic

Friday, February 6

Boca Raton, FL

8:00 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

1-0

Stonehill

0-1

Stonehill

Wisconsin

Hilary Blomberg celebrates after hitting 20th career home run.

Photo by: Ashley Steltenpohl

Badgers sweep day one of Paradise Classic

February 06, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

UW records run-rule victories with pair of shutouts

By: Maddox Durst

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Wisconsin softball team kicked off their 30th season in program history in style, racking up a pair of 9-0 run-rule victories over Stonehill and Army in Boca Raton on Friday.

The Badgers' (2-0) pitching staff started the season with back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2017, earning quality contributions from four arms. The offense thrived, tallying a combined 19 hits to earn a sweep on the first day of the season.

GAME ONE

The Badgers wasted no time getting on the board against Stonehill, scoring the most runs in a season opener since 2019 en route to a 9-0 run-rule victory to kick off the season.

After back-to-back singles turned in by junior Hilary Blomberg and redshirt freshman Jaclyn Showalter, junior Alivia Bark got the scoring started with a two-RBI base hit up the middle. Showalter's single in the first inning marked the first hit of her collegiate career.

Junior Danielle Lucey followed it up with a triple to the gap to drive in two more for UW, extending the lead to 4-0 through the first inning of play.

The bats continued to produce in the next frame, highlighted by an RBI single turned in by sophomore Kendra Lewis, plating Showalter after a leadoff double.

UW went on to score in every inning versus the Hawks, as Bark capped off the fourth inning with a sacrifice hit to drive in Blomberg.

In the circle, Lewis, sophomore Jordan Felci and senior Shelby Jacobson controlled the Hawks throughout the entirety of the game, only allowing a pair of hits in five innings of action. Jacobson retired Stonehill in order to earn Wisconsin's first win of the year.

Batting Cleanup:

Jackie Showalter recorded a perfect 2-for-2 showing at the plate in her collegiate debut, highlighted by a double and a pair of runs scored.
Alivia Bark earned her 100th career hit in a 2-for-2 performance, matching a career-best in RBIs with three.
Danielle Lucey tripled for the third time in her career, tying a career-high in RBIs with three.
The pitching rotation of Kendra Lewis, Jordan Felci and Shelby Jacobson put together the Badgers' first shutout since Gabi Salo did so last season against North Dakota State on Apr. 16.
The Badgers scored the most runs in a season opener since 2019, where they also put up nine in a victory over Omaha.

GAME TWO

UW maintained the momentum on the offensive end early on in their second game of the day, this time versus Army.

The Badgers posted four runs in the first frame, as Bark tallied two more RBIs with the bases loaded to put Wisconsin up right away. Bark then came around to score on a wild pitch. Lucey capped off the inning with a bunt single, placing it perfectly down the first base line to score sophomore Emma King.

Freshman Berritt Herr took advantage of that offense in the circle, navigating through four scoreless innings in her collegiate debut. The Ashwaubenon native tallied four strikeouts in the process, keeping the Army offense off balance throughout the afternoon. Herr got some help from her defense as well, including two diving plays from Lewis and infielder Makenzie Foster.

UW added two more runs in the third inning with the help of a clutch base hit from Emma King, who then came around to score on an RBI single from Lucey.

The offense continued to thrive in Boca Raton, capped off by a two-run blast from Hilary Blomberg, the 20th home run of her career and the first for the Badgers this season. UW went on to score in every inning but one in the first two games of the season.

Jacobson took a 9-0 lead into the final frame, retiring Army in order with a pair of strikeouts to secure Wisconsin's second consecutive run-rule victory.

Batting Cleanup

Berritt Herr made her collegiate debut in the circle, tossing four scoreless innings and earning four strikeouts.
Hilary Blomberg hit her first home run of the season and the 20th of her career, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
Emma King and Emily Bojan each finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored in game two.
The Badgers' pitching staff earned back-to-back shutouts to begin a season for the first time since 2017.

Up Next: The Badgers are back in action tomorrow night, as they will compete in another doubleheader in the Sunshine State. UW is set to take on host RV Florida Atlantic at 5:15 p.m. CT, followed by a rematch versus Stonehill at 7:30 p.m. CT.