The Wisconsin softball team took three of four games at the Hawkeye Classic in Iowa City, Iowa over the weekend, improving their record to 18-13 on the season. The Badgers beat Iowa 2-1 and Ball State 6-1 on Sunday after losing to the Hawkeyes 0-4 and beating the Cardinals 3-0 on Saturday.
UW entered the 2004 season with just one win in 18 all-time meetings with Iowa, but after the road split has won two of the three contests between the teams so far this year.
Freshman pitcher Eden Brock was solid on the mound for Wisconsin Sunday, allowing six hits over seven innings and allowing only one earned run. She improves 8-5 of the season with the win after pitching her ninth complete game. Defending Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Lisa Birocci took the loss for Iowa.
Freshman Tara Hamilton started the Badger scoring in the game when she reached on an infield single. Pinch-running for Hamilton, freshman Nicole Simmons took second on a beautifully placed Natalie Phillips sacrifice bunt. With two outs, freshman third baseman Athena Vasquez belted the 1-2 pitch deep over the center field wall to put Wisconsin up 2-1
Against Ball State on Sunday, Wisconsin was led by three Kris Zacher hits and a Natalie Phillips home run, as the Badgers spread-out six runs in the game, including two in the first inning to complete their sweep of the Cardinals (4-18).
Sophomore Sara Gonzales earned her first collegiate victory in her first complete game, scattering four hits over seven innings and allowing one earned run. Gonzales now owns an even 1-1 record for the season and her career.
The Badgers wasted no time getting on the board as freshman Sam Polito worked a lead off walk in the first and advanced on a hit through the middle by Athena Vasquez. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Polito scored and Vasquez advanced as junior catcher Boo Gillette sent a sacrifice fly to deep left field. Vasquez came around to score on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of sophomore second baseman Emily Friedman.
Wisconsin continued its barrage in the fifth when Natalie Phillips tattooed the first pitch of the at-bat to deep left field for her second homer of the season.
Kris Zacher continued her hot streak as she ripped her third hit of the game to center and then took second for her sixth stolen base of the season. Zacher came home when Friedman reached on an error and scored on a fielder’s choice to put the Badgers up 6-1.
Wisconsin was unable to mount a substantial offensive threat as it fell to Iowa 4-0 on Saturday. Lisa Birocci and Ali Arnold combined for the Hawkeyes on the mound, allowing only three Badger hits.
The Badgers looked poised to make their only stand of the game in the fourth inning when junior catcher Boo Gillette knocked a long double off the left-center field wall. Gillette advanced to third on a looping line drive into shallow right off the bat of sophomore second baseman Emily Friedman. However, two ground balls ended Wisconsin’s threat.
Junior pitcher Katie Layne took the loss for Wisconsin, dropping to 8-6 on the season. Layne allowed four earned runs and eight hits while striking out two in six plus innings of work.
Wisconsin played small ball at the first game of the Hawkeye Classic, scratching out three runs and allowing none to beat Ball State.
Sophomore second baseman Emily Friedman led Wisconsin with one hit, one RBI and one run scored.
Brock scattered six hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking none to earn her seventh victory of the season. The shutout was Brock’s fourth of the year and her eighth complete game.
–Compiled from staff reports