Sixth-ranked California broke up a scoreless tie in the sixth inning with a solo home run to defeat No. 25 Wisconsin, 1-0, in the semifinals of the Capital Classic on Sunday. Cal advanced to the title game where the Golden Bears lost to fifth-ranked Nebraska, 4-3.
Sophomore Meghann Reiss led the Badgers (14-7 overall) in batting, going 2-for-3 at the plate (including her sixth double of the season), while junior Andrea Kirchberg allowed just five hits and earned four strikeouts against the Golden Bears (27-8). Shortstop Chelsea Spencer hit the game-winning solo blast to left field for UC.
Kirchberg, who was named to the Capital Classic all-tournament team, went 2-2 at the classic with a 1.00 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work.
Wisconsin finished the tournament with a 5-2 record in Sacramento with both losses coming against top-10 teams. UW fell to fifth-ranked Nebraska, 2-1, during Friday’s pool play. Frosh Kristin Zacher led Wisconsin with a .409 batting average and .727 slugging percentage in the tournament, hitting safely in 9-of-22 at-bats with a pair of home runs and seven RBI. Reiss batted .381, while senior Kerry Hagen hit .364.
Earlier in the weekend UW beat San Jose State and Syracuse, wins that allowed it to play California in the semifinals.
Senior Kerry Hagen led Wisconsin with three runs batted in and a 4-of-7 effort at the plate as the Badgers defeated San Jose State, 7-2, and Syracuse, 5-3.
Hagen, who went 3-for-4 in the opening game against San Jose State, put the Badgers on the board with an RBI single in the top of the fourth. Freshman Boo Gillette gave Wisconsin another two runs with a single to right in the next at-bat to put the UW ahead, 3-0. In the top of the sixth inning, Wisconsin scored another four runs before the Spartans broke up the shutout with two runs in the bottom.
Syracuse struck first in the quarterfinal match, with Christina Holowich smashing a home run to left field in the team’s first at-bat in the top of the first inning. Wisconsin did all of its damage in the bottom of the second inning, with junior Erin Barnharst tying the game at 1-1 with a bases-loaded single to left field before sophomore Diana Consolmagno walked to give UW the lead. After Anna Jones scored from third on a wild pitch, Hagen brought in what would be the game-winning runs on a single to right to give Wisconsin a 5-1 cushion.
The Orangewomen scored again in the fourth and threatened UW’s lead in the top of the sixth, putting two on with no outs. Kirchberg relieved starter Katie Layne and helped the Badgers escape with two strikeouts and a pop up to end the inning. SU made it interesting in the seventh, loading the bases and scoring its final run on a walk before Kirchberg ended the game with a three-pitch strikeout.
