While the struggles of the Wisconsin softball team have been well documented, it appears as though the program may finally be turning a corner.
Playing on the Big Ten Network and under the lights, the Badgers (18-28, 3-10) pulled out a 4-1 victory Saturday night over Indiana (11-34, 3-12).
Senior ace Letty Olivarez (11-21) led the way again, pitching a seven-hit, one-run complete game. She also struck out five while picking up her 11th win of the season.
In game two Sunday, the Badgers survived a couple early scares, before scoring runs in every inning after the third, to mercy rule the Hoosiers, 8-0.
The two wins move the Badgers’ home winning streak to seven games, the longest since the team rolled off nine straight wins in 2005. Overall, the team has won seven of its last nine, with both losses coming on the road against ranked opponents.
“We’re playing on our home turf, and this is when we like to show up,” starting shortstop Katie Soderberg said. “These are our big games. Hopefully we can take this on the road this upcoming weekend.”
While the home wins have all come against less than stellar teams, and only the two against Indiana have come within the conference, it is important to the team to have the proper mindset at home and to secure easy wins.
“Our mindset has changed a lot,” starting catcher Maggie Strange added. “Defensively, we’ve obviously picked it up and offensively as well. I think it’s us also having that home field advantage, having the crowd behind us and having their support, [but] I don’t think it has anything to do with the competition.”
A somewhat controversial play occurred in the top of the third inning in Sunday’s series finale, as the relay home to Strange resulted in a tight play at the plate.
The Indiana base runner was ruled out, despite pleas from the Indiana players and fans that Strange had been blocking the plate, which is illegal in softball until the catcher has complete control of the ball.
Strange maintained she did nothing wrong, however, and that the runner was rightfully ruled out.
“The ball actually took me away from the plate so I really wasn’t blocking [it],” Strange said. “Honestly, I think she was out, but then again some people said she was safe. It was all about the angle and I felt like I sold the tag pretty well, so it was just kind of a touch and go type thing.”
Soderberg, who had perhaps the best angle of anyone, wouldn’t give a definitive answer on if the runner was out, but conceded the play could’ve gone either way.
The play, which came in a scoreless game, really shifted the momentum to the Badgers and allowed the home team to open up the game in its half of the inning.
“Any time there is a big play and we reap the benefits of it, we’re going to take the momentum,” Soderberg said. “Softball is a game of momentum so you want to try to keep it.”
Right fielder Ashley Hanewich led off the inning with a double to center field, and second baseman Whitney Massey loaded the bases on a single up the middle.
Following Massey’s single, the Badgers were blessed with some untimely mistakes by Hoosier pitcher Monica Wright.
With the bases loaded, Olivarez drew a walk to bring in one run. Scoring the second was catcher Dana Rasmussen, who quickly worked herself into a 0-2 hole, but was bailed out when Wright’s pitch hit her.
A pair of home runs wrapped up the game over the next two innings, as Massey and Hanewich both went the distance.
Hanewich’s home run, which came with one runner on in the bottom of the fifth inning, ended the game abruptly and sent the home crowd into a frenzy that lasted well into the singing of Varsity.
Soderberg and the rest of the team said they will take wins however they come, but a win in that kind of fashion is certainly always welcome.
“A walk-off home run… that’s awesome,” Soderberg said. “Yeah, that’s definitely the way to win the game.”
