After a tough end to their month of March, the University of Wisconsin softball team was not able to right the ship this weekend. In a matchup against Rutgers University, the UW offense put up a collective two runs in the last two games of the series — losing both. The team now holds a 2–7 conference record, second-worst in the Big Ten.
It was an eventful Friday even before gametime. Since they were in New Jersey, the Badgers’ team felt the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the area on the morning of April 5. Though it could be seen as a bad omen, the quake proved to be a sign of good things to come for the UW squad in their first game of the weekend.
Graduate student Tessa Magnanimo entered the circle to begin the series. Magnanimo looked to stay consistent — not allowing more than four runs in a calendar month. The Los Angeles native did just that and then some. Magnanimo went the distance and pitched all seven innings — her fifth time doing so — allowing two runs on eight hits. She was able to work her way out of multiple jams, stranding runners in scoring position on multiple occasions. On the other side of the ball, the UW bats remained quiet through the first two innings, as Rutgers got a 1–0 lead in the first. But that would all change in the third frame.
A two-out Fiona Girardot walk was followed by an Emily Bojan single up the middle. With the rally started, freshman catcher Hilary Blomberg stepped up to the plate. The Wisconsin native worked a 3–1 count before pulling a high fly ball deep into left field for a go-ahead 3-run bomb. The freshman was ecstatic rounding the bases after her first collegiate home run and wore the Badgers’ oversized “homer hat” with pride. UW added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings, winning the opening game, 5–2.
The next day would not be so fun for UW. Sophomore Shelby Jacobson hoped to bounce back from giving up nine runs to the University of Iowa on March 23. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Jacobson couldn’t make it through the first inning before Friday’s hero — Blomberg — had to come in for relief. Rutgers’ graduate student Katie Wingert was a nightmare for Jacobson, hitting a grand slam in the 1st and a three-run home run in the second, after Jacobson re-entered, off the UW sophomore.
Blomberg was able to somewhat slow down the Scarlet Knights in only her third pitching appearance this season. The Badgers’ offense couldn’t muster anything close to an answer against fifth year player Mattie Boyd. The right-hander entered the game with a 2.69 ERA on the season and would bring it even lower in this start — allowing one UW run on two hits while striking out six.
UW could’ve left New Jersey with a series win on Sunday, but ultimately fell short. Magnanimo was once again be in the circle and remained consistent–allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out six. That effort should’ve given the Badgers a chance in this game, but their bats were shut down by Boyd once again. The Scarlet Knight ace posted an identical final line of one run on two hits — striking out ten this time. The lone UW run came on a Skylar Sirdashney solo shot in the fourth frame. UW lost the Sunday game, 4–1.
The Badgers will return home to Goodman Diamond this weekend for a 3-game series with Ohio State University. Both enter the series with a 2–7 conference record. UW will need more production from an offense that ranks in the top half of the conference in home runs and slugging percentage if they’d like to push past the Buckeyes in the Big Ten standings.
