Spring break witnessed several Wisconsin programs struggling to succeed. The men's basketball team flopped in Milwaukee, men's hockey melted against Alaska-Anchorage in the WCHA tournament and the softball team suffered a disappointing 4-6 week in California that dropped it from near the top of the Big Ten teams to the bottom. Unlike the other two teams, the softball team is not in the postseason and can make up for the letdown by turning it around this weekend. The last weekend before the Big Ten season starts, Wisconsin (15-12) will play two games apiece against Ball State (6-15) and Big Ten rival Iowa (15-12) at the Hawkeye Classic.
Wisconsin is trying to regroup and get back to what led the team to an 11-6 start. UW coach Karen Gallagher attributed the up-and-down play in California to inconsistent hitting and fielding.
\We need to focus on our game and play the fundamentals,"" Gallagher said. ""When we play good defense we win games. When you play top teams, you can't make errors.""
With the last part of the nonconference season coming this weekend, it will be a final tune-up for the softball team to get back on track and to the play that led them to an eight-game winning streak earlier in the season. The team is expecting that the upcoming games against Ball State and especially against Iowa will forecast the Big Ten season for the Badgers.
Earlier in the season, the Badgers defeated the Hawkeyes in Iowa's first game of the year, 6-3. Since then, Iowa has continued to play inconsistently both offensively and defensively. However, as the defending Big Ten champions, a much tougher and more intense Iowa team is expected this weekend than the one that they beat in Arizona.
""I think it's going to be a good representation of how we'll do coming into the Big Ten,"" junior'? pitcher Katie Layne said. ""I think we have to know that Iowa is going to come out hungry and we're going to have to come out hungrier.""
To repeat the performance against Iowa, Wisconsin will call upon the offensive leadership of junior shortstop Kris Zacher.
Leading the team with a .376 batting average, Zacher's offensive leadership is complemented by her strong performance in the field. Despite being the team leader in errors, Zacher has shown that she can be a solid all-around player during big games.
With the warm weather this past week, the team has finally gotten outside and practiced at Goodman Field for the first time this year. While much of the early part of the season hardly resembles baseball or even softball weather, spring is here and the Badgers are energized to get out and get back to winning games.
The ability to play get outside has excited the coaches and players who expect a quicker turnaround now that they are outside for more than just the games.
""[Practicing outside], it's going to help us,"" Zacher stated about being on the field. ""It's nice to be out here and getting dirty.\
