Frustration continued this weekend for the Wisconsin softball team, as the Badgers were swept by both Illinois and No. 25 Iowa on the road. The four losses drop Wisconsin's record to 2-14 in the Big Ten and 12-37 overall.
The hardest hit was Wisconsin pitcher Leah Vanevenhoven, whose record dropped to 4-22 after taking three of the four losses in this weekend's road trip. Sophomore Letty Olivarez picked up a loss to Iowa, dropping her record to 5-14.
After rain cancelled Friday night's scheduled contest, the Badgers and Iowa (10-4 Big Ten, 32-14 overall) squared off in a double header Saturday at Pearl Field in Iowa City, Iowa.
Although Vanevenhoven gave up just four hits and two earned runs, Hawkeye ace Brittany Weil struck out 12 and gave up just one hit in Wisconsin's 2-0 loss in game one.
Saturday's game two brought out the Iowa bats, as the home Hawkeyes scored three in the third, two in the fifth and three in the sixth inning en route to an 8-1 win to sweep the series.
The Badgers experienced familar results in Sunday's double header in Champaign, Ill., as Illinois (6-8 Big Ten, 27-24 overall) took a pair of games from Wisconsin.
Illinois struck first, as an RBI double by Illinois' Angelena Mexicano in the bottom of the first inning put the Illini up 1-0.
Olivarez's bat answered in the top of the second inning with a leadoff homerun to center, tying the game at 1-1.
The Badgers generated another run in the fifth on Katie Soderberg and Ashley Hanewich singles and a hit by pitch by Livi Abney. A deep sacrifice fly to left by Joey Daniels scored Soderberg from third, putting the visitors ahead 2-1.
The game turned quickly in the Illini favor, as Sarah Bryers sent a two-out, two-run shot over the left field fence in the sixth to put Illinois up 3-2. While Hanewich was walked and Daniels was hit by a pitch, Illinois pitcher Claire DeVreese forced Badger third baseman Theresa Boruta into grounding out to seal the win.
Game two was a similar tale for the Badgers, with Daniels scoring the first run on a throwing error by the Illinois catcher. Left fielder Valyncia Raphael, who was 3-for-3 with three RBI in the game, smashed a triple that scored Boruta then a single by Lynn Anderson that sent Raphael home gave the Badgers a quick 3-0 lead after the first inning.
Mexicano answered for the Illini with a homerun in the first, making the score 3-1 before the Illinois bats came alive.
Wisconsin ran into a tough series in the third inning, giving up six runs all with two outs. Bryers sent a three-run shot over the left center wall, followed immediately by a Hope Howell solo home run to deep center. A Danielle Zymkowitz double through the left side three batters later scored one and after loading the bases, Shanna Diller reached on a catcher's interference call, scoring Danielle Vaji from third.
Back-to-back leadoff homeruns put two on the board in the Badger half of the fourth, as Olivarez tallied her second home run of the day and Raphael followed suit, sending one of her own to center.
A Raphael walk with loaded bases scored Daniels to bring Wisconsin to within one after the fifth inning but the Illini tacked on an insurance run in the sixth to lock up the win, 8-6.
Wisconsin will play its last six games of the season at Goodman Diamond, including a double-header against UW-Green Bay this Wednesday.
