The only two Division I softball teams in the state of Wisconsin face off against each other for the second time this season at Goodman Diamond. Other than playing in the same state, UW-Madison and UW-Green Bay could not be any more different.
The Badgers come into the games with a 28-17 record and are in fourth place in the Big Ten with a 9-6 record. The Phoenix, on the other hand, is only 8-30 overall, 4-8 in Horizon League action. This year’s UW-Green Bay team has fallen far from the 2000 squad that finished 27-15 two years ago in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. That team finished second in the conference tournament to UIC and split its four games with the Badgers.
Last season, UW-Green Bay finished 22-23 and lost all four games it played with the Badgers, but still managed to finish second in the conference tournament for the third straight year. Even though it has struggled, UWGB has won three games in a row, including a 5-4 victory over Wisconsin in the second game of a doubleheader eight days ago in Green Bay.
“Their pitching did a pretty good job against our hitters last week,” head coach Karen Gallagher said. “Our kids need to step up and take care of business and have a good couple games.”
The Badgers took the fist game 4-1 last week behind the play of Michelle Skarr. She hit a two-run homerun in the sixth inning to seal the victory.
Game two was a different story. The Phoenix scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with the help of three Badger errors to tie the score at four apiece. In the bottom of the seventh, the Phoenix won the game with a little more help from the Badgers. UW-Green Bay’s leadoff hitter reached on an error before being driven in by a double to the centerfield wall.
Wisconsin used several reserve players in the first doubleheader. Gallagher said she would like to do the same today.
“It’s always nice to get everybody some playing time,” Gallagher said. “Some of these kids are potential players for us in the future, so you want to give them an opportunity if it presents itself.”
Gallagher also plans to use Andrea Kirchberg and Katie Layne on the mound in the doubleheader.
Last week against UW-Green Bay, Layne pitched both games. She allowed just three earned runs on 11 hits in 13.1 innings and struck out 12. Despite the fact that today’s doubleheader is sandwiched in between the final two weekends of Big Ten play, Gallagher insists the games are important.
“Every game is a big deal at this point,” Gallagher said. “A team like this gets pumped up to come to Madison.”
Gallagher also wants the team to play well going into its final Big Ten series of the year against Minnesota this weekend. A win or a Penn State loss guarantees the Badgers a spot in the six-team Big Ten tournament.
Bragging rights on the only other in-state team would probably be nice too.
