Years from now Wisconsin softball fans may not look back fondly on the 2008 season, but for one afternoon and evening everything went right for the Badgers.
Wisconsin (2-14 Big Ten, 14-37 overall) used powerful hitting, solid pitching and flawless defense to sweep UW-Green Bay at home Wednesday, winning the opener 6-1 and the nightcap 4-1.
The Phoenix (6-20), who entered with a 10-game losing streak, were just what a struggling Wisconsin team needed to get back on track.
Everything was going right, there's nothing else to say,"" head coach Chandelle Schulte said. ""Those were the best two games we've played. I said it all year, that we've never finished a complete game, and we just finished two.""
The Badgers excelled in all facets of the game Wednesday, but looked especially impressive on offense. Wisconsin out hit the Phoenix 17-4 in the two games.
Four of UW's hits came off the bat of senior shortstop Lynn Anderson. She hit two home runs - one in each game - and was retired only once by the Phoenix. The blasts were the eighth and ninth home runs for Anderson.
""[I was] just trying to hit the ball on the ground,"" Anderson said. ""I wasn't thinking home run or anything, just trying to get on base.""
Both of Anderson's home runs were solo shots to left field. Anderson also scored three runs.
""I think I was preparing well,"" Anderson said. ""Before I went to the plate, I just had a mindset of attacking the ball.""
Anderson was not the only Badger playing with an aggressive offensive mentality. Schulte encouraged her team to swing early in the count and get the ball in play.
""We were going at them a little earlier, [and] at them a little more than we had previously,"" Schulte said.
Anderson was not the only Badger to use the long ball. Sophomore pitcher Letty Olivarez also homered in the second game for Wisconsin to left-center field.
Olivarez also homered in both games of the team's last doubleheader against Illinois on Sunday. Her power spurt has earned her a promotion in the lineup. She batted in the cleanup spot for both games on Wednesday.
""She's coming into her own right now,"" Schulte said. ""[She's] very comfortable, and you can see that at the plate.""
Anderson and Olivarez's power made them standouts on Wednesday, but players across the lineup were collecting hits of their own.
Senior catcher Joey Daniels and junior third baseman Theresa Boruta each had multi-hit games in the opener, going 2-for-4 each.
And the Badgers got some rare production from the bottom of the batting order as well. Freshman second baseman Livi Abney had two hits in the first game, including a double, and sophomore outfielder Katie Soderberg had two hits in the second game. Both players entered the doubleheader batting under .200.
""It's great when the whole lineup [is hitting] because it doesn't put that pressure on the 3-4-5 hitters,"" Schulte said.
The bats made all the noise for Wisconsin, but the pitchers also performed well. Junior Leah Vanevenhoven and Olivarez combined for the first back-to-back complete games for Wisconsin this season.
Vanevenhoven (5-22) allowed two hits and an unearned run while striking out eight, and Olivarez (6-14) allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out a season-high 10 batters.
Wisconsin will resume conference play at home this weekend, hosting Ohio State (5-11, 27-20) Friday evening and Saturday afternoon at the Goodman Softball Complex.
