Sports: Softball

Badgers split series with Spartans

Walk-off home run by MSU’s Kara Weigle snaps Wisconsin’s 2-game winning streak

The University of Wisconsin softball team fell 5-3 to Michigan State Sunday as MSU’s Kara Weigle hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Spartans to the win.

Wisconsin’s Karla Powell went 3-for-3 in the loss and knocked in two of UW’s three runs.

Like in Saturday’s game, the Badgers got on the board first as leadoff hitter, Jen Krueger, singled and was then brought around the bases with a Theresa Boruta sacrifice, a Livi Abney basehit and a Powell single.

The Spartans took the lead back, 2-1, in the bottom of the first inning off of four hits. The score remained the same into the fifth inning when the Badgers got hot and re-took the lead, 3-2. This time it was Boruta that started things off with a single and was brought home two batters later with a Powell single. Powell then made it home off a Valyncia Raphael base knock.

UW entered the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2 lead. With two outs, Lindsey Hansen doubled to bring in Karen Fox right before Weigle hit the game-winning shot to right center.

Wisconsin’s Letty Olivarez took the loss, pitching 4 and two-thirds innings giving up three runs on three hits while striking out three batters. Senior Alexis Garcia went 2-for-4 in the loss.

The Badgers earned a 2-1 win over Michigan State on Saturday as Raphael hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to give Badgers their second straight victory.

Wisconsin (15-36, 3-13 Big Ten) didn’t waste much time getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Krueger reached on an error, followed by a Boruta single that moved her to second. Two batters later, Abney flied out to center, and as Krueger was heading to third on the tag, the ball was dropped allowing her to score on the error for the early 1-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning, the Spartans answered as Fox led off the inning with a walk, and then Kelly Confer singled to left center to bring in the run tying the game, 1-1.

The Badgers threatened a couple more times with runners in scoring position but were unable to bring any more runs in until the top of the seventh when Raphael stepped to the plate.

Raphael hit the 1-0 pitch to right center and it just cleared the fence, traveling 210 feet. The solo shot put the Badgers up 2-1 as they headed to the bottom of the seventh.

Fellow senior Leah Vanevenhoven pitched a gem allowing only one run on three hits earning her seventh win of the season striking out eight batters.

— UWBadgers.com