The Wisconsin softball team (3-5 Big Ten, 12-17 overall) battled all week against the best the Big Ten had to offer, but failed to come away with a victory, going 0-5. However, the Badgers' record does not tell the whole story, as they lost four of their games by only one run.
\Last week our main goal was to compete,"" senior catcher Boo Gillette said of the team's performance. ""Obviously we wanted to win and it didn't happen, but knowing that we played with the two best teams in the Big Ten, and knowing that we can be the third-best team in the Big Ten, that's how we are going to bounce back.""
Head coach Karen Gallagher echoed Gillette's disappointment with the losses, but felt the team could take away some good things from them.
""They were tough losses, but we competed well,"" she said. ""We played some really good ball and did some really good things over the weekend. But you know you can't just always focus on the loss.""
Gallagher knows the team will have to play better defense on a consistent basis if it hopes to start pulling out close games.
""I think that has been a little bit of a downfall for us right now,"" she said. ""I think those games could have gone either way if we would have done a better job in the field.""
The Badgers will look to turn things around today in Indiana as they face the Valparaiso Crusaders (3-9 Mid-Continent Conference, 3-27 overall) in an out-of-conference tilt where they hope to get a much-needed victory.
""We should be on the bus coming back and being pretty happy with our performance,"" Gallagher said.
The team will ride into Indiana on the hot hitting of freshman first baseman Katie Hnatyk, who exploded last week for two home runs and five RBIs on 6-16 hitting.
""That's awesome for anyone to accomplish, let alone a freshman,"" Gillette said. ""That's a really good boost for her confidence.""
Gallagher agreed and said that other Badgers picking up their play of late included sophomore center fielder Samantha Polito, freshman catcher/infielder Joey Daniels and senior left fielder Anastasia Miller. Miller has raked opposing pitching all year and is enjoying a breakout season, highlighted by a recent four-hit performance against Northwestern and is currently batting .346 on the year.
The Badgers also closed out their recruiting this week, picking up commitments from catcher Randi Kreiter and infielder Heather Ruchim, both of Illinois, as well as securing a walk-on from California.
""They've always wanted to be Badgers, so I think there is a real loyalty and commitment to coming to this program,"" Gallagher said of Kreiter and Ruchim. ""They're both going to help us right away.""
The Badgers' total haul for this class will be seven players, from whom Gallagher feels the team will pick up a nice combination of athletic pitching and hitting that will help fill the holes of the departing seniors.
