The University of Wisconsin softball team was swept twice this weekend in a pair of Big Ten match-ups; largely do to a team-wide slump that left the Wisconsin offense in shambles.

Wisconsin could not have timed the slump worse as the losses drop UW into ninth place in the conference and out of contention for the Big Ten tournament.

The Badgers entered this past weekend needing victories to ensure themselves a spot in this year’s Big Ten tournament and continue their season. Only the top eight teams in the conference participate in the tournament. Heading into a weekend with four conference match-ups, Wisconsin was tied for seventh in the Big Ten.

UW, however, continued their late season slide, dropping all four games in sweeps by Illinois and Iowa and falling back to .500 on the season. Not only did the Badgers fail to tally a win in the weekend quartet, they did not chalk up even a single run and are currently on a scoreless streak of 35 innings.

Wisconsin was in a slump all weekend, unable to collect the clutch hits and timely big plays that the Badgers have relied on all year. To begin the weekend, Illinois shut out Wisconsin both games, winning 2-0 Friday and 1-0 in extra-innings Saturday. They went 10 innings before finishing the contest.

Even after being swept by Illinois, however, Wisconsin entered Sunday with a chance to break even on the weekend with a sweep of Iowa in the doubleheader. But the Badgers still were unable to wake up from their collective offensive coma. Wisconsin dropped the opening match of the twin bill 1-0 and followed with a 5-0 loss in game two. The Badger hitters never got going all weekend, and the stagnant offense cost UW dearly.

In the first game, the Badgers continued the trend of wasting strong outings by their pitchers, as junior Katie Layne stymied the Hawkeyes for the entire contest. The only Iowa run of the game was tallied following a wild pitch in the first inning that scored Hawkeye left fielder Amanda Herges from third.

Wisconsin also had a passed ball earlier in the inning and committed three errors on the day, and the sloppy play cost them in the end. Layne pitched the remainder of the game and was virtually untouchable, giving up only three hits in seven innings, with two walks and four strikeouts and no earned runs.

Wisconsin didn’t help their cause either, allowing Iowa ace Lisa Birocci to dictate the game. She only gave up three hits in seven innings, striking out nine. Wisconsin never threatened the entire game, as the Badgers only had three runners reach base, and none managed to reach second base.

In the second game of the pair, UW didn’t improve much. Wisconsin managed to sneak a couple players into scoring position but failed to capitalize and were again dominated by Iowa’s pitching, this time at the hands of Ali Arnold. Arnold cruised through the game, with only three hits and two walks given up in seven innings. Arnold also struck out four and helped her cause by going 2-3 at the plate, knocking in two and scoring once.

Wisconsin started freshman Eden Brock for game two. Brock was shaky early on, giving up three runs in the first inning. She opened the game with a walk and two hits, including a double by shortstop Stacy May to left field that drove in right fielder Natalie Johnson. A squeeze play worked for Iowa to score a second run, and Arnold singled to left field with two outs to cap the scoring in the first inning.

Brock would later settle down and keep the Iowa batters in check, but the damage was already done. Wisconsin would not recover from the early deficit.

The Badgers were 2-1 against the Hawkeyes this season heading into the weekend but couldn’t take down Iowa when it counted.

“We didn’t get any key hits all weekend,” UW head coach Karen Gallager said. “We obviously didn’t score a run. We couldn’t get a runner in scoring position. I don’t know. It was a weekend that wasn’t meant to be.”

The sweeps put the nail in the coffin for Wisconsin. The Badgers are two games back of Penn State and Michigan State, with only two conference games left on the schedule. The Badgers will lose the tiebreaker with both teams, meaning their season ends with the last game of the regular season May 9 against Minnesota.

Centerfielder Sam Polito was the only Badger to notch more than one hit in any game this weekend, accomplishing the feat twice, against Illinois Friday and game two against Iowa. Layne was the Badgers best player over the weekend, pitching 14 innings and only giving up five hits and two earned runs.

Gallagher expressed disappointment with the outcome of the weekend but hoped the young Badgers ? who will return the majority of their lineup next year ? will learn from the experience.

“We just didn’t step up,” Gallagher said. “They knew we had to show up this weekend, but it just didn’t happen. You hope you learn from it and you hope you find a way and you build on what you want to do next year. It’s kind of sad for them because there are some really awesome ballplayers on this team that deserve to go to a Big Ten tournament.”