The Wisconsin softball team (5-7 Big Ten, 26-15 overall) defeated UW-Green Bay in an intrastate showdown Tuesday, winning both games of the doubleheader. Game one was a close fought battle as the Badgers won 2-1. The second game was another story, as Wisconsin scored multiple runs in three innings, crushing the Phoenix 10-1.
Senior center fielder Samantha Polito reached the highest hitting streak in Badger history by extending her record to 16 consecutive games with a hit. This breaks Julie Borchard's previous 14 game hitting streak, which she achieved in both the 1996 and 1998 seasons.
Polito went 3-of-4 and freshman Katie Soderberg went 2-of-3 in the first game. Junior catcher Joey Daniels and sophomore second baseman Theresa Boruta also received a hit apiece.
Phoenix only recorded four total hits this game, two of which were by Katie Cooney.
UWGB took a one-run lead in the second inning, but Daniels knocked a two-run homer in the third to pull ahead.
Wisconsin senior pitcher Eden Brock got the win, improving her record to 14-9 on the season. Sophomore Leah Vanevenhoven got the save and did not surrender a run after she was sent to the mound one batter into the seventh inning. Junior Anna Bluemel picked up the loss for the Phoenix, dropping her to 2-9.
In the second game, the Badgers started off with a three-run lead by the end of the first inning. Wisconsin scored another run in the top of the fifth, giving it a 4-0 lead before UWGB's sophomore third baseman Mollie Kaebisch hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.
Innings six and seven were enormous for the Badgers as they went on to score three runs in each. The 10-1 lead was too much for the Phoenix to come back from as they drop to 4-6 Horizon League, 12-18 overall.
All but one Badger got a hit on the game, as Daniels led the team by going 3-of-3 with one RBI and two scored runs. Polito and sophomore Ricci Robben each registered two hits on the game and improved their batting averages to .386 and .342, respectively. One of Robben's hits was a homer over the left field fence in the first inning rally, giving her three of her four RBI on the game.
Freshman pitcher Letty Olivarez (9-6) picked up the win for the Badgers. UWGB's Cooney dropped to 5-5.
UWGB will have its chance to redeem itself by hosting a three game series against Detroit this weekend.
Wisconsin will be traveling to Michigan this weekend to face Michigan State in a two game series on Friday night and Saturday at noon. The Badgers will then face No. 9 Michigan in a doubleheader on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m. Michigan is currently tied for first place in the Big Ten with Ohio State, both holding an 8-2 conference record. Michigan State only has two conference wins this season, but the Badgers cannot get caught off-guard if they want to come away with two wins against the Spartans.
