The Badger softball team has had its share of ups and downs this young season, now only two weeks old. They went 2-3 in the UNLV Classic over Valentine’s weekend, their first tournament of the year, dropping games to No. 14-ranked LSU in the season opener and No. 1 UCLA. The next weekend turned things around as the Badger women posted a 4-1 record including a huge victory over conference rival No. 17 Iowa, a 6-3 effort fueled by Anastasia Miller’s three RBI and solid pitching by team ace Katie Layne.
UW continues its tournament season this weekend as they travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the Frost Classic. They will play six games in three days, including No. 9 Alabama on Sunday.
Today the Badgers take on a couple of Tennessee teams in UT-Martin and UT-Chattanooga. In the first game of their doubleheader, the Badgers will face the 4-3 Skyhawks of UT-Martin, who should give the Badgers a show on the mound. The Skyhawks have posted a 2.31 ERA as a team, led by their staff ace, junior Allison Buckley, who is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and seven strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work so far this season. At the plate UT-Martin follows the lead of infielder Fallon Lowery, who is hitting .375 with a home run and an RBI.
The second game today comes against the UT-Chattanooga Mocs (7-6), against whom the Badgers are 1-0 lifetime. As a team the Mocs are hitting a mere .175 and average only 2.3 runs per game, but their beacon of hope comes in the form of pitcher Lacey Swarthout who is 3-2 with a 1.15 ERA. This may not be enough, however, against Wisconsin’s big hitters.
Friday’s doubleheader starts with the 1-1 Buffalo Bulls with only one weekend of play under their belts. The Bulls’ biggest weapon is two-way threat Sophie Barstad, who in addition to a 2.00 ERA and a victory on the mound, has contributed a dinger and two RBI with her bat in only two games.
North Texas is slated as the second game Saturday afternoon. The Mean Green have not been so mean this season, posting a 5-16 record due mostly to a team batting average barely over .200 and a team ERA of 4.78. The contest will be the first meeting between these two teams.
A slightly more intimidating opponent faces the Badgers Sunday morning as the Crimson Tide meet the Badgers in the first game of the day. This promises to be the biggest game of the weekend as the Badgers look to take down another ranked opponent, having already done so to Iowa a week ago. Ninth-ranked Alabama (9-3) has dropped its last two games including one to the No. 3 Arizona Wildcats, but the task will not be an easy one for the Badgers. Alabama is hitting .269 as a team and has a team ERA of 1.31. The lifetime series between these teams is currently tied 1-1, and the Badgers would love nothing more than to grab a win from a program with such a rich softball tradition.
In a somewhat anticlimactic form, Wisconsin will wrap up the weekend with a game against St. Francis and head home for a two week break. Going into the weekend, though, they have every reason to be optimistic. Having spent a month practicing in the gym and only being on the field for two weeks, the Badgers have tied their second best 10-game start in their nine year history with their 6-4 record.
The Badger bats have come alive despite captain Meghann Reiss’ being out indefinitely with a knee injury. Anastasia Miller, Natalie Phillips and Diana Consolmagno all went yard last weekend in Arizona, with Consolmango’s blast coming in the form of a grand slam.
Junior shortstop Kris Zacher (.394 batting average) leads a Badger team that is hitting .241, followed by Boo Gillette with a .370 batting average plus a home run and eight RBI to her name.
The pitching staff expects to get sophomore pitcher Sara Gonzales back this weekend. Gonzales, who was injured the first two weeks of the season, will be a welcome change to a staff that, apart from Eden Brock, has been something of a disappointment. Katie Layne has compiled a 2-1 record thanks to her team’s excellent defense than her 6.06 ERA.
If their bats stay hot and their gloves stay steady, the Badgers could be talking about their best 16-game start to a season ever.
