The Wisconsin softball team returns home today for a doubleheader against the University of Northern Iowa. Wisconsin (20-20, 6-8 Big Ten) is riding high after a split against a strong Purdue team and a sweep of Indiana last weekend. The Badgers boosted their record to the .500 level for the first time since April 3 when they were 12-12.
Northern Iowa (20-19, 8-13 Missouri Valley) is riding a five-game winning streak coming into tonight’s game after sweeping South Dakota State in two games and conference opponent Indiana State in three.
The doubleheader today is the third mid-week doubleheader of the season for Wisconsin. The Badgers played North Dakota State and Loyola-Chicago Monday and Tuesday of last week, sweeping both. Head coach Karen Gallagher says the extra games are a nice break from the Big Ten season. The Badgers are scheduled to play the rest of their remaining Big Ten contests on the road.
“We’re winding down here, so the more you can play at home the better,” Gallagher said. “And I would rather be playing than practicing at this point. The games give us good experience. You get an opportunity to play a lot of players, and it keeps everybody sharp.”
The Badgers will also have to play in some adverse weather conditions, as the Madison area has been hit by some cold weather as of late. Players will endure a forecasted high of 53 degrees and a possibility of rain. After enjoying temperatures in the seventies and eighties, the Badgers will have to adjust for the poor conditions.
“I don’t think it fazes our kids,” Gallagher said of the adverse weather. “This isn’t that bad. We played in some treacherous winds last weekend, and that was less conducive to playing than this weather right now.”
The Badgers, bad weather or not, should look to go deep in this game. Wisconsin’s power streak still lives on, as the softball team went deep five times last weekend to bring their season total to 37 home runs. That total far surpassed the previous team record of 23 home runs set two years ago, and the Badgers show no signs of stopping. They have hit dingers in four straight games, and their average of 0.93 homers per game entering last weekend was ranked 22nd in the country.
“They’re stronger [this year]. They’ve worked hard in the weight room, and I think that becomes a factor,” Gallagher said of the power surge. “I think we’re looking for better pitches to drive and being a little more patient.”
Everyone in the lineup seems to be hitting these days. Second baseman Athena Vasquez has struggled this season, but last week she enjoyed a 9-for-22 stretch with four RBIs, her first RBIs of the season. Natalie Phillips is also hitting well, going 6-for-15 with three doubles last weekend.
But the hottest bats belong to senior captains Kris Zacher and Boo Gillette. Zacher is hitting at a phenomenal .407 clip, good for fourth in the Big Ten. Add to that her five home runs and four triples, and the visiting Panthers have a player to watch out for. Gillette, meanwhile, is hitting .383, tenth in the Big Ten, but she has power to go along with her average. Her nine home runs and her .656 slugging percentage are both good for seventh in the conference.
UW’s hitters will face a Panther pitching unit that won’t give up any easy runs. Northern Iowa’s staff is led by Amanda Hess. The freshman has taken the majority of the workload for the Panthers this season, but she has done it well, posting a 10-8 record and a 2.19 ERA. Hess is also holding opponents to a .222 average this season. Liz Adams will also be tough for the Badgers. Adams has a 2.36 ERA and a 5-2 record thus far, and she has walked only 16 batters all season.
The Panthers also have some good hitters, but they are lacking in the power department. Senior Erin Strellner leads the team with a .387 batting average, with eight doubles and 20 RBIs. Senior Tracy Davis leads the team with 21 RBIs while hitting .301 with three triples and two home runs. As a team, however, Northern Iowa has hit only 10 homers all season.
Today’s matchup marks only the second time these two teams have ever met. The Badgers bumped heads with the Panthers for the first time last year in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where Wisconsin came away a 6-2 victor. A sweep today would give the Badgers a four-game winning streak and some momentum heading back into Big Ten play this weekend.
