On a day when common sense and thermometers reigned supreme over most of the Big Ten, almost every softball contest that was scheduled for Sunday afternoon was canceled due to cold weather. Luckily for the Badgers, both Wisconsin and Iowa were able to brave the 20-degree windchill just long enough for UW to pick up its first two conference victories of the spring. The Badgers broke out their brooms and swept both halves of a doubleheader from the visiting Hawkeyes, winning game one 5-0, and taking game two 4-1.

Coming into today's double dip, Wisconsin and Iowa appeared to be two teams headed in completely different directions. The No. 10 Hawkeyes entered play as one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 14 of their last 15 games, including 10 straight. The Badgers, on the other hand, had dropped four of five on their most recent road trip and sat squarely in the cellar of the Big Ten.

But for whatever reason, the tide turned for both teams Sunday afternoon, and Wisconsin wound up outplaying Iowa in every aspect of the game.

"That sweep was huge for us," senior center fielder Sam Polito said. "With our weekend last week and getting a couple games canceled this week, coming up big against Iowa was just huge for us. We definitely needed the wins."

Behind dominating pitching from Letty Olivarez and Eden Brock, and airtight defense from shortstop Lynn Anderson, the Badgers were able to hold the Hawkeyes to their lowest offensive output in weeks.

After losing their first four conference games last week to Ohio State and Penn State, head coach Chandelle Schulte knew that this was a critical weekend for UW to gain some momentum.

"We knew starting off in the Big Ten and playing poorly, you could either go one of two ways," head coach Chandelle Schulte said. "You could just think 'Well, we're done,' or you take an opportunity to show people what you can do.

"I felt like today was going to represent the rest of the year," Schulte continued. "If we lost, we're in trouble. If we won, it's a good signal."

Game 2 saw UW senior pitcher Eden Brock earn her 10th victory of the season, limiting the Hawkeyes to one run on six hits. At times the weather seemed to affect the grip on Brock's drop-ball, resulting in numerous pitches bouncing across home plate. But the box score didn't show it, as Brock struck out nine and walked only two in her sixth complete game of the year.

In a first-inning sequence that could have come straight from a softball textbook, Wisconsin catcher Joey Daniels reached on an infield single, moved to third on two sacrifices from Polito and Vasquez, and scored on a throwing error from Iowa catcher Emily Nichols. The run was a perfect example of the kind of fundamentally sound style that UW employed all day.

Wisconsin would add three more runs with RBIs from Hnatyk in the third, Polito in the fourth and Athena Vasquez in the sixth.

Defensively, any hopes of an Iowa comeback were put to rest in the glove of junior shortstop Lynn Anderson, whose adjustment on a ball that ricocheted off Eden Brock's glove prevented a leadoff base runner and killed a potential fifth-inning rally. The play was merely the culmination of a flawless day in the field for UW.

"Lynn's defense has improved tremendously this year," Schulte said. "She's smooth, her head's in the game, she's making routine plays, and she's making the hard plays look easy."

Reigning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Brittany Weil kept the Badgers at bay through the first three innings of game one, retiring UW hitters in order in both the second and the third. But once around the order was all Weil could manage, as Wisconsin hitters began to figure out Iowa's ace in the bottom of the fourth.

Polito reached after getting hit by a pitch, and following a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Vasquez, power-hitting right fielder Katie Hnatyk was intentionally walked. With two on and nobody out, designated hitter Ricci Robben smashed a base hit to center that scored Polito from second. Stephanie Chinn followed with an RBI single to right to make it 2-0.

The Badgers tacked on three more in the next frame. Weil issued two consecutive walks to start the inning, and Polito made her pay with a triple to the right field fence that cleared the bases.

In the circle, Olivarez's only hiccup came when the Hawkeyes tried to mount a two-out rally in the top of the sixth. Olivarez gave up a walk and two singles before getting pinch-hitter Katie Brown to fly out to end the inning.

"I got a little excited," Olivarez said. "But I just kept trying not to think too much and not think about my pitches a lot, because that's been my problem."

With the win, Olivarez improved her record to 6-5, and lowered her ERA to 2.08.