The Wisconsin softball team split its doubleheader against Illinois at the Goodman Diamond Sunday afternoon. UW took the first game of the day, 3-2, but fell in the second game, 2-1. The Badgers closed their 2002 home and Big Ten-opening weekend with a 3-1 league record and 20-10 overall mark.
In game one, the Badgers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mandy Liles, pinch running for Meghann Reiss — who reached on a single — scored the first run of the game from second on a Nicki Starry RBI. With one out and runners in scoring position, Erin Barnharst cracked a single past second base and scored Anna Jones to put two runs on the board.
Illinois put runners on base every inning, but couldn’t capitalize until the final two. After leaving seven runners on base through the first five innings, Illinois used pinch hitter Elene Planinsek’s sixth inning RBI single to cut the Badger lead in half.
In the next inning, Illinois loaded the bases and scored the tying run on an Andrea Kirchberg balk. With the game knotted at 2-2, the Badgers took care of business in the bottom of the seventh. Boo Gillette singled and Kerry Hagen reached when Illinois threw to second in a failed attempt to force Boo out. With runners at first and second and two outs, Reiss rang a ball over the drawn-in leftfielder’s head to score Gillette for the win. Reiss finished the first game 2-for-2 with two walks and the game-winning RBI.
Illinois took the early 2-0 lead in game two, scoring the only runs they would need in the third inning. Katie O’Connell walked to start the inning and the next two baserunners would reach due to fielder’s choice. Registering the only hit of the ballgame for the Illini was Lindsey Hamma, who fired a shot that scored two runners to put the score at 2-0.
The Badgers left seven runners on base in the game but finally put up a run in the fifth inning with a two-out Kerry Hagen single. Hagen ripped a hit past the outstretched glove of O’Connell at second base to score Sheena Padovan from second.
Sparked by four runs in the top of the third inning, the Wisconsin softball team cruised to a 6-1 victory over Purdue Saturday to sweep its first Big Ten series.
— compiled from staff reports
