While the temperatures still seem too cold even for the thought of any outdoor sports, the UW softball team (3-2) began its season in the ASU Kajikawa Classic this past week in Tempe, Ariz.
The Badgers enjoyed the opportunity to match up with some of the top-ranked teams in the nation as they went 3-2 in the tournament including victories over three NCAA tournament teams from last year coming in the form of Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and Florida.
The Badgers lost a tough game against then No. 5 ranked Arizona State (now No. 2) 2-0 after struggling to find a way to push a run across the plate. The Badgers found themselves in prime position early in the first inning as they had the bases loaded with no outs, but after Sun Devil pitcher Katie Burkhart struck out UW junior Ricci Robben for her first of what would become 16 strikeouts she then forced a 6-4-3 double play which ended the Badger threat.
UW would not back down as freshmen pitcher Letty Olivarez threw a very strong outing for the cardinal and white. She struck out nine ASU batters, allowed five hits and one earned run as she amassed her first ever complete game, but it was not enough as ASU found a way to tally two runs on two separate singles in the bottom of the third and sixth innings to claim victory.
UW continued on as they played defending national champion and then-No. 1 ranked Arizona (now No. 4). In the top of the fourth, with UW down 2-0, junior outfielder Ricci Robben jacked her ninth career home run, a solo shot, over the center field fence to cut the Wildcat lead to the slimmest of margins.
The Badgers kept up a strong fight and eventually found themselves with a chance to make some noise in the top of the sixth inning. UW managed to load the bases with two outs before Arizona's Taryne Mowatt was able to strike out UW sophomore outfielder Valyncia Raphael to end the inning.
Arizona added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after Wildcat All-American Caitlin Lowe slashed a RBI double off of UW senior pitcher Eden Brock leading to the eventual 4-1 final.
""We played well, even in our losses our kids did a nice job,"" UW head coach Chandelle Schulte said. ""They didn't play timid, they didn't play afraid.""
The strong showing in the ASU Kajikawa Classic caught the eye of many pollsters as the Badgers are receiving votes in the latest edition of the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll but it should have come as no surprise for the UW softball followers as the team returned eight of nine starters from last year. With that much experience returning the Badgers should be poised to make some noise in the coming months and in the Big Ten season.
""I think if we continue to play at the pace we are playing, we would be in the top 25,"" Schulte said. ""But it's really not important to us, we're more about winning.""
UW returns their third team All-Conference catcher in Joey Daniels who started in all 44 games for the Badgers last season. She was second on the team in overall batting average and also led the team in batting average during conference play.
Senior center fielder Samantha Polito returns to the outfield for the Badgers and also returns as the team overall batting average leader and hits leader. She was able to notch 47 hits a year ago.
Athena Vasquez is back as an infielder, last year she split time at third base, shortstop and second base, and has already shown she is ready to go as she started off the 2007 campaign on a four game hitting streak before it was eventually snapped against Arizona.
