Despite defeating Princeton, the Badgers (10-21) finished off a rocky road trip with a 3-7-1 record after competing in the Tiger Invitational and the Stanford Invitational II, and playing midweek games against Pacific and Sacramento State.
UW did, however, finish the week on a high note. With the Badgers trailing the Tigers 2-0 in the seventh inning, junior left fielder Valyncia Raphael hit a three-run, walk-off home run.
The victory salvaged what could have been a disastrous week for the Badgers. The win over Princeton was Wisconsin’s third victory in five contests at the Stanford Invitation II. Before arriving in Palo Alto, Calif., the Badgers were winless in six games since leaving Madison.
Wisconsin was in danger of finishing the Stanford Invitational II with a losing record after splitting the first four games.
Princeton took a one-run lead into the fourth inning when shortstop Kathryn Welch hit a run-scoring double off sophomore pitcher Letty Olivarez. The Tigers added another run in the seventh inning when designated hitter Erin Welch crossed the plate on a wild pitch from junior Leah Vanevenhoven.
But the Badgers needed just three batters to overcome the deficit. Olivarez led off the bottom of the inning with a walk, and senior shortstop Lynn Anderson followed with a double, her second hit of the game, before Raphael blasted one over the fence to give Wisconsin a dramatic victory.
It was Wisconsin’s 10th win of the season and its second over Princeton, who fell to 3-17 with the loss.
Before facing Princeton on Sunday, the Badgers played four games in the previous two days. Their first game of the Stanford Invitational II was also against the Tigers, a contest in which Wisconsin won 2-1. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak for UW.
Once again it was Princeton jumping out to the lead against Wisconsin. Down 1-0 in the fifth inning, junior infielder Theresa Boruta evened up the game with a single. Later in the inning, Raphael crossed the plate on a fielding error by Princeton to give Wisconsin the eventual game-winning run.
Wisconsin fell to No. 5 Stanford later on Friday 5-1. Catcher Rosey Neil set the tone early for the Cardinal with a three-run home run in the first inning off Olivarez. The Badgers were unable to get their bats going, scoring just one run on a wild pitch by Missy Penna. Penna earned the victory after allowing just three hits through six innings.
On Saturday, Wisconsin was able to get going offensively and defeat East Carolina 7-3. Once again Wisconsin fell behind early, this time 3-0 to the Pirates after one inning.
The Badgers were held in check for five innings before they exploded offensively in the sixth. With two runners on base and two runs already home in the inning, Raphael hit a three-run home run to give Wisconsin the lead. The Badgers added runs in the sixth and seventh innings to seal the victory.
Later on Saturday, Wisconsin was defeated by Brigham Young in eight innings 4-3. This time it was Wisconsin who established an early lead, capitalizing on two BYU errors in the second inning to score three runs. Wisconsin took a 3-1 lead into the seventh, but was unable to close the game as short stop Amanda Vance tied the game with a two-run single.
In the eighth, a Vanevenhoven wild pitch allowed third baseman Angeline Quiccho to score the game-winning run.
Earlier in the week, Wisconsin lost twice at Sacramento State and tied at Pacific. In the Missouri Invite the weekend before, Wisconsin went winless, losing two games each to Missouri and North Dakota State.
