With over half the Big Ten season in the books, the Wisconsin softball team has shown a lot promise for the future. Head coach Yvette Healy and the rest of the new coaching staff have turned around the program and instilled a winning attitude, evident of its 24-19 overall record.
However, this success has not been met on the road in conference play, where the Badgers are 1-6. This is cause for concern as Wisconsin travels to Iowa, where the Hawkeyes are undefeated, on Wednesday for a doubleheader. However, none of this worries freshman pitcher Cassandra Darrah.
“We just have to work hard like we have been and play with heart,” Darrah said.
It will be a homecoming for Darrah, an Iowa native, who will be making her first start in her home state since leaving for college. Pearl Field may be the home of the Hawkeyes, but on Wednesday it may be equally Darrah’s.
“There will be a lot of people there, but I’m excited,” Darrah said. “It’ll be like a home game.”
After giving up six runs in 1.1 innings against Northwestern on April 9, Darrah has turned things around giving up only seven earned runs in her last 28 innings. In her last two starts, Darrah pitched complete games, striking out five batters and only gave up one run in each. On the season, Darrah has 13 wins, which is second most by a freshman in school history.
“It would be nice [to break the record],” Darrah said. “But, I’m just looking out for the team as a whole.”
The freshman’s success has been impressive, but even Darrah admits that her job is made easier when she is getting run support. In the Badgers past four wins, they have scored a combined 18 runs.
“It takes a lot of pressure off of me so I can focus on what I’m doing,” Darrah said.
Infielder Mary Massei has done her part in contributing to the run support lately, including a 5-for-7 performance over the weekend in a doubleheader against Illinois, where she hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning.
“I was just trying to keep my mind on the game the entire time and just drive through the ball,” Massei said. “I’m just trying to get the most out of my at-bats since I was out for 14 games.”
Since returning from the three facial fractures that forced her to sit out 14 games dating back to late March, infielder Mary Massei has been one of the Badgers’ hottest hitters. In her last seven games, Massei raised her batting average 63 points to an astounding .353.
Healy has had no qualms about immediately inserting Massei back into the meat of the batting order, and Massei proved why. Since her return, Massei has recorded six hits in 12 at-bats, showing little signs of rust.
“I feel completely back,” Massei said. “Nothing on my face can hold me back. My mask doesn’t interfere with anything.”
Massei will have to be at the top of her game Wednesday as she will face off against a pitcher, Iowa’s Chelsea Lyon, who is coming off an impressive seven-strikeout performance in a win over No. 1 Michigan.
“[Against Lyon] I’m really focusing on not striking out and putting the ball in play,” Massei said.
The Badgers may be struggling on the road in conference play this season, but with an ace in the circle and a dangerous hitting lineup, this team has an abundance of confidence heading into Iowa.
“We’ve looked really good the past few games,” Darrah said. “I think we’ll do well.”
