The Wisconsin softball team's nightmare season came to an end over the weekend as it was swept by Minnesota at the Goodman Softball Complex, losing 4-0 Saturday and 14-4 Sunday. The Gophers will move on to the Big Ten Tournament, while Wisconsin will sit home and try to make sense of a season that set the record for most losses (40) in school history.
The Gophers (9-7 Big Ten, 28-15 overall) dominated Wisconsin (3-17, 15-40) in nearly all facets of the game Sunday, in a game that was called after five innings because of the mercy rule. The Badgers got a poor pitching performance out of junior Leah Vanevenhoven, played sloppy defense and executed poor situational hitting.
I think that last game kind of epitomized our season,"" junior third baseman Theresa Boruta said.
Minnesota, meanwhile, was able to sustain two extended offensive rallies, play sharp defense and overcome a shaky start by junior pitcher Katie Dalen.
Vanevenhoven, who was erratic on the mound, shut down the Gophers' bats in the first inning but could not hold Minnesota in check later in the game.
Wisconsin entered the second inning with a 3-0 lead, but the Gophers quickly rallied with five runs on five hits in an inning in which Minnesota sent 11 batters to the plate.
Junior catcher Shannon Stemper grounded out to lead off the inning. Then a single by senior second baseman Amber Nelsen, a walk by freshman designated hitter Natalie Neal and a groundout by senior center fielder Casey Wheeler put two runners on base with two outs.
Vanevenhoven had a chance to escape the inning with just one more out and no damage done, but with two outs the next six Gophers reached base.
The big blow came with bases loaded and Wisconsin still leading 3-2. Vanevenhoven induced a pop-up to shallow left field off the bat of senior left fielder Shila Fernandez. Senior shortstop Lynn Anderson had the best shot at making a play on the ball. Anderson had to turn around and run into the outfield and was able to track down the ball but fumbled the catch. Two runs scored on the play to give Minnesota a lead it would never relinquish.
The Gophers added two more runs in the third inning off Vanevenhoven, who finished the day with three innings pitched and nine runs earned on 11 hits and three walks. Wisconsin then scratched out a run to make the score 6-4, entering the fourth inning with a good chance to come back and win its final game of the season.
But the Gophers exploded for another rally in the top of the fourth. Once again, Minnesota sent 11 batters to the plate and this time scored seven runs on six hits, knocking Vanevenhoven out of the game.
Wisconsin was unable to score in the fourth and fifth innings and with a 10-run deficit after five innings, the game was cut short.
It was an all-around disappointing effort for Wisconsin, including its defensive play. The Badgers committed four errors, which led to five unearned runs.
""[We did not] step up when we wanted to,"" Boruta said. ""Obviously people are going to make errors, but we didn't have that one person that said 'give me the ball, I'm going to make a play.'""
Wisconsin entered the weekend already eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament, but Boruta thinks her team was still hungry for wins against Minnesota.
""I think we were still motivated. I think any athlete, despite the situation, [has] that competitiveness,"" she said.
Anderson and senior catcher Joey Daniels played their final game on Sunday, and unfortunately neither player will look back on the game fondly.
Individually, Daniels reached base twice on a walk and a hit by pitch, but struck out looking in her final at-bat as a Badger. Anderson also reached base twice with a walk and a hit by pitch, but was retired in her only at-bat. The shortstop made two errors in the field.
On Saturday, Wisconsin played a much more competitive game. The contest went into 11 innings, making it the longest game of the Badgers' season.
The game went scoreless for ten innings before Minnesota broke through with an RBI double by Stemper off freshman pitcher Kristyn Hansen.
