Andrea Kirchberg carried the load for the Wisconsin softball team last weekend, as the junior ace led the Badgers to a pair of one-run victories over Minnesota at Goodman Diamond in the final series of the Big Ten season.

Kirchberg went the distance in both games. She threw 14 innings, gave up one run on five hits and struck out 24 batters for the series.

“She pitched two great games this weekend,” UW head coach Karen Gallagher said. “They were just out there trying to make contact”

The victories clinched fourth place and the Badgers’ third consecutive spot in the Big Ten Tournament. UW, 11-6 in the Big Ten, will play Penn State Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Game one Saturday night was a classic pitchers’ duel. It had to be?Kirchberg was the only thing saving Wisconsin after the team put together only three hits and committed five errors.

Third baseman Diana Consolmagno had a tough day in the field, committing four errors before being removed in the sixth inning.

UW managed just one base runner, Kristin Zacher on a double in the first, through five innings.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, however, the Badgers finally figured out Minnesota pitcher Piper Marten enough to get on the scoreboard. Boo Gillette led off the inning with a solid line drive to center field on the first pitch she saw. Erin Barnharst replaced Gillette at first after Marten threw Gillette out at second on a fielder’s choice.

Kerry Hagen moved Barnharst into scoring position with a successful sacrifice bunt.

Mandy Liles followed with the biggest hit of the game for UW. With the count at one ball and one strike, she hit a line drive into left field to score Barnharst and put the Badgers in the lead 1-0.

“I got up there and I was thinking: ‘make contact, drive it through a hole,'” Liles said. “It just happened to be a little blooper. But that’s okay?it got the job done.”

Things got interesting in the top of the seventh, as Kirchberg started the trouble herself for a change with her first walk of the game. The next batter, Hailee Nanchy, reached base on the first of two Badger communication mistakes in the inning.

Nanchy popped up softly in front of the mound. Third baseman Gillette and first baseman Meghann Reiss collided trying to make the play, causing the ball to roll foul and giving the Gophers runners on first and second. Kirchberg then threw a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with no outs.

But that was as far as the Gophers got. Kirchberg struck out Marten after the count went full for the first out.

The second defensive lapse struck next. Christine Lindberg popped a Kirchberg pitch foul along the third baseline. This time Gillette collided with catcher Nicki Starry to give Lindberg new life.

“We wanted to make the plays so bad[ly] instead of just doing it and relaxing,” Reiss said. “Coach says we gave her a heart attack.”

But Lindberg didn’t take advantage of the gift. Kirchberg came back to strike her out on three pitches.

With two outs, the only Minnesota batter to get a hit the entire game came to the plate. Speedy leadoff batter Tammi Hays had reached base previously after beating out two bunts, and her final attempt did not get the same result.

Gillette cleanly fielded the bunt and threw firmly to second baseman Anna Jones, who was covering first.

Game two Sunday afternoon was a different story. The Wisconsin defense and offense backed up the ever-steady Kirchberg for an easier victory.

After threatening to score in the first two innings, UW got on the board in the top of the third with a little help from the Gophers.

With one out, Liles reached base on a soft line drive to leftfield. Zacher followed with a bunt down the first-base line. The first baseman’s throw beat Zacher but pulled the second baseman’s foot off the base. Zacher was called safe.

Minnesota’s defense then made another mistake when Anna Jones grounded a ball to third. Instead of getting the easier out at first, the third baseman flipped the ball to the shortstop, who was covering third base.

Liles beat the throw, and the Badgers had the bases loaded. Reiss put the Badgers in the lead for good on the first pitch she saw.

Her sharp ground-ball single to right field easily found a hole and scored Liles from third. An errant Minnesota throw to second scored Zacher from second and gave the Badgers a 2-0 lead.

“I knew she wanted to get ahead on that first pitch and I was just ready,” Reiss said.

Minnesota came back with a run in the sixth but could have had more. The Gophers loaded the bases with two outs before Kirchberg got out of the jam like she had so many times before?with a strikeout to end the inning.