The Wisconsin softball team defeated Northwestern State in nine innings Sunday, 3-1, for its third win over the Demons in as many days at the OU/Worth Invite. The Badgers improve to 9-9 on the year.

Scoreless through eight innings, international tiebreaker rules placed Diana Consolmagno on second for the Badgers in the top of the ninth. Emily Friedman advanced Consolmagno to third with a sacrifice bunt and another bunt lit the scoreboard.

Mandy Liles set down the squeeze play in front of the pitcher. The Demons hurler threw home but Consolmagno collided with the catcher. The catcher dropped the ball, Consolmagno scored and Liles moved to second. Erin Barnharst doubled to the wall to score Liles for the eventual game-winner and Meghann Reiss hit a bloop single to center to score Barnharst for a 3-0 lead.

The Demons challenged in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one and putting two on with one out. But UW’s complete game pitcher Andrea Kirchberg struck out the final two batters. Kirchberg struck out 16 on the day, breaking her school record of 15 Ks in a single game.

UW has this week off from competition before traveling to Hawaii for games on March 20-23.