The University of Wisconsin softball team traveled east for the UMBC Spring Invite this St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The team came into Baltimore looking to snap a three-game losing streak and right the ship before playing their first conference games on March 22. But, the Badgers’ struggles continued — coming out of the tournament with a losing record.
UW faced three teams in five games during the weekend, the first of which was against the University of Albany on March 15. At half-past noon, sophomore Shelby Jacobson entered the circle for the Badgers. The Chicago, Illinois native pitched one of her best games of the season, going 6.2 innings — allowing three hits (all singles), two runs and striking out six.
But the Badgers’ offense couldn’t provide any type of run support for Jacobson, as they were shut out by Great Danes’ junior Kate Powers. The Badgers dropped the first game by a score of 2-0.
Now on a four-game skid, the Badgers faced the flagship team of the event, the UMBC Retrievers. UW received another great pitching performance from Tessa Magnanimo. The graduate student only allowed one earned run in her six innings of work—striking out seven.
Unfortunately for UW, three errors allowed three unearned runs to score — as UW would lose a winnable game, 4-3.
Despite this setback, a new day elevated the hopes for a downtrodden UW team. Game one was an early morning matchup with Colgate University. Jacobson entered the circle for her second game in as many days and had another quality outing. The right-hander went the full seven innings—allowing two earned runs while striking out seven batters. Her two excellent outings this weekend dropped Jacobson’s ERA from 5.33 before Friday to 4.53 after her Colgate start. And this time, the Badgers’ offense had her back.
Graduate student Fiona Girardot got the job done with a RBI groundout to put UW up early. Catcher Emmy Wells added on in the next inning with her seventh home run of the season to give the team a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, it was the Badgers on the receiving end of a fielding misplay — scoring two unearned runs. Girardot provided some insurance in the sixth inning with her second RBI of the game, as the Badgers broke their losing streak with a 5-3 victory.
With spirits high, UW’s next game would be a rematch with the Great Danes, and it would prove an odd one. The Badgers’ offense could not get a base hit off of fifth year athlete Bailey Misken, typically a recipe for disaster. However, in the top of the fifth, Wells worked a four-pitch walk and freshman speedster Danielle Lucey pinch-ran for her. That proved a savvy managerial move when a Hilary Blomberg sac bunt got thrown around the infield — letting Lucey turn on the jets and score all the way from first.
That single unearned run would be all Magnanimo would need in this game. The Badgers’ starter tossed a complete-game shutout — only needing 68 pitches to do so. Magnanimo brought her season ERA down to 3.73, a very impressive mark considering she’s thrown a career-high in innings.
A successful Saturday was followed by a somber Sunday, as UW dropped their rematch with UMBC, 7-5.
Despite a losing weekend, strides were made in the right direction, especially by a UW pitching staff which owns the fourth-worst ERA in the Big Ten. Jacobson in particular had two very good outings, an encouraging sign for the righty who only threw two innings last year. UW’s offense is top-5 in their conference in home runs and slugging percentage. If the pitching staff can continue to turn it around, brighter days may be coming for the struggling softball team.
UW will need everything to click as they play their first games against a Big Ten opponent in the University of Iowa in Iowa City next weekend.
