[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald file photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]

Wisconsin’s softball team began their doubleheader against Ohio State Saturday with a chance to make the Big Ten postseason tournament. But like they have done so many times this season, the Badgers lost it in the seventh inning.

UW lost the first game 6-3, but came back to win the second game 4-3. In both games the seventh inning played a critical role.

In the second game, the Badgers rebounded from a tough loss to steal a win in the seventh inning.

“It was nice to get a win, but it is kind of bittersweet,” freshman Livi Abney said. “As a team, we are glad that we can pull out a win in the seventh inning, but it is hard to enjoy it knowing we can’t go to the Big Ten tournament anymore. I feel really bad for our seniors because all they wanted was to make the tournament.”

The Buckeyes scored a run in the first inning, and through the first three frames, it didn’t appear as if the Badgers had recovered mentally from losing the series opener. UW loaded the bases three times in the first three innings, and three times they failed to score a run. For the game, the Badgers left thirteen runners on base.

“We had been swinging the bats really well, but when the bases were loaded we failed to execute,” sophomore Letty Olivarez said. “I don’t know if we were still thinking of the other game, but we definitely didn’t do what we were supposed to.”

The Badgers managed to score one run in the fifth inning, evening the score at 1-1 heading into the seventh. The Buckeyes then took the lead back, however, with some timely hitting and defensive miscues by the Badgers. Although there were no errors in the inning, there were several plays that UW could have made to keep OSU from scoring, most notably a dropped fly ball from freshman center fielder Jennifer Krueger.

“I wouldn’t say it was frustrating that Krueger dropped the ball because she did give it all her effort,” Olivarez said. “It was a bit of a downer, though, to have worked so hard and left the inning two runs down.”

Three outs away from losing their second game in the seventh inning, the Badgers responded in a big way. Senior Lynn Anderson led off the inning with a single, and Abney followed with a monstrous two-run home run to tie the game 3-3. After a Krueger walk and a Joey Daniels double, there were runners on second and third with junior Theresa Boruta coming to the plate. Boruta — a left-handed slap hitter — grounded the ball down the third baseline and managed to leg out a single as the OSU third baseman’s throw was late. On the throw to first, Krueger made a break for home, knocking the ball from the catcher’s glove with an aggressive slide and giving the Badgers a come-from-behind win.

“I managed to turn around right as the play at the plate was happening,” Boruta said. “Jennifer [Krueger] was late, but she had made up her mind and was aggressive so it worked out. That is the type of play where you can’t think, you just have to react, which she did.”

In the first game Saturday, the Badgers were playing for their postseason life. If UW won their next four games they would still be in the running for a berth in the Big Ten postseason tournament.

Things started off well for UW as they scored one run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth frame to take a 3-0 lead heading into the seventh inning. Sophomore Katie Soderberg and freshman Livi Abney — the seventh and eighth hitters in the order — each contributed an RBI in the sixth inning.

“As a team we have been putting together some really good at-bats lately,” Olivarez said. “Every player on our team has been hitting well, so we don’t have to just depend on the middle of the order to score some runs. We have been more aggressive at the plate, and it has paid off these last few games.”

In the seventh inning, however, everything unraveled for the Badgers. Junior pitcher Leah Vanevenhoven pitched six scoreless innings, but appeared to have run out of gas in the seventh. Vanevenhoven hit two batters, walked another and gave up two singles to leave the bases loaded with the Badgers leading 3-2. Wisconsin lost the lead and, consequently, lost a chance to go to the Big Ten tournament when Ohio State first baseman Tory Haddad cleared the bases with a three-run triple.

“I felt really bad for Leah [Vanevenhoven],” Olivarez said. “She had pitched really well all game, but maybe she was out there for one inning too many. Her control had been really good all game, but she started to miss her spots in the seventh.”