The University of Wisconsin softball team (36-10, 13-7 Big Ten) left their last road trip of the season with a clean sweep this past weekend over the Purdue Boilermakers (30-23, 6-14) with scores of 4–2, 12–6 and 4–1.

The opening game of this Big Ten series consisted of dominant pitching from junior Kaitlyn Menz, who threw all seven innings for the Badgers, only allowing four hits, two runs and four walks while striking out four.

This dominant pitching performance helped to counter the below average hitting performance from Wisconsin.

While some Badgers didn’t hit terribly — Jordan Little smashed a home run in the fourth and Kayla Konwent and Taylor Johnson both singled for RBIs — the Badger offense lacked a form of fluidity that we have seen all year.

This changed in game two of the series.

Softball: Young Badger core look to leave lasting impact on Wisconsin program

With three Badgers recording multiple hits, along with four other players contributing to the offense, Wisconsin tallied ten hits and twelve runs in their second game versus the Boilermakers.

This time in the circle for the Badgers was Haley Hestekin. Coming off of a game in which she allowed three home runs against Minnesota, Hestekin redeemed herself in her performance Saturday.

Hestekin totaled five innings, only allowing six hits, three earned runs, four walks and struck out six. Freshman Maddie Schwartz closed out the final two innings for the Badgers, sealing at least a series win.

Jordan Little stayed hot in the batter’s box with an RBI double in the third to put the Badgers up 3–0 and it was Lauren Foster who did the same with two RBIs afterward.

But, senior Kelly Welsh was the story of the game — she smashed two home runs in back-to-back innings, including a grand slam in the fifth. Welsh had only gone yard one other time this season and was responsible for almost half of the Badger’s RBIs.

Softball: Badgers struggle against Minnesota pitching, look to bounce back versus Purdue

In the final game of the series, Kaitlyn Menz returned to the circle for the Badgers and pitched another beauty. In another seven-inning game, Menz tossed four strikeouts while only allowing four hits, one run and three walks.

Kayla Konwent — hitting the nation’s second-best batting average at .482 — was walked three times in this game and six times all weekend.

Nonetheless, the Badger offense was ready behind her with Johnson going two-for-four — including a home run in the seventh — and freshman Tyra Turner also going two-for-four. Foster sent her second out of the park Sunday afternoon as well.

With momentum heading into their final Big Ten series of the season, Wisconsin will host Nebraska this weekend at Goodman Diamond at 5 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Watch on BTN+ or follow live stats at uwbadgers.com.