The UW softball team (1-7 Big Ten, 12-30 overall) continued its downhill slide yesterday, losing both games to Notre Dame (28-13) at Goodman Diamond, 5-0 and 4-2. The Badgers' losing streak is now at eight games, with their last win dating back to April 1 against UW-Green Bay.
Wisconsin did show some signs of life against the Fighting Irish, a team the Badgers beat 2-0 earlier this year in Alabama. Junior pitcher Letty Olivarez started the first game and kept the Badgers in striking distance until the seventh inning. Olivarez held Notre Dame to one run before the Fighting Irish offense burst for four runs in the final inning to seal the victory.
Wisconsin's offense was basically nonexistent in the first game. It was unable to get anything going against senior pitcher Brittney Bargar of the Irish. Bargar threw a two-hit shutout and struck out eight Badgers. Sophomore Jennifer Krueger, who leads the Badgers with a .322 average, had one of the two hits for Wisconsin.
Head coach Chandelle Schulte showed signs of disappointment after the doubleheader.
""It's very frustrating; if you go back, usually one inning we seem to implode,"" Schulte said. ""I thought they played hard against Penn State, they played hard today. We just don't seem to turn the corner.""
The second game started much like the first, as the contest was dominated by both pitchers. Wisconsin senior Leah Vanevenhoven and Notre Dame sophomore Jody Valdivia kept both offenses off the scoreboard until the fifth inning, when the Fighting Irish broke through.
With the wind blowing in toward home plate, Notre Dame sophomore Erin Marrone smashed a home run to left field, putting the Fighting Irish up by one.
Then, in the sixth inning, a costly mistake by Olivarez in right field helped the Fighting Irish add to their lead. Notre Dame junior Christine Lux hit the ball deep into right field, and Olivarez misplayed the ball. The miscue allowed a run to score.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Badgers showed some signs of life by tying the game at two apiece. Sophomore catcher Dana Rasmussen walked, then Krueger knocked a triple over the head of Notre Dame freshman center fielder Alexa Maldonado. It was the first RBI of the year for Krueger, who is generally known more for her speed than her power.
""Coach Schulte just told me she noticed the outfielders were playing in really far, so if I got just got a hold of anything I was going to be running for a while,"" Krueger said. ""So that was my main focus.""
Senior catcher Theresa Boruta then dropped a hit into shallow right field to score Krueger from third. It was the first time since April 4 the Badgers produced more than one run in a game.
The momentum of the sixth inning was short lived, though, as the Fighting Irish scored two runs in the top of the seventh. Notre Dame junior catcher Alexia Clay hit a towering home run to right field after Marrone singled and advanced to second base on an error.
The Badgers continue their home stand this weekend when they welcome Big Ten foe Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ranked No. 16 in USA Today's softball poll. Both games will air on the Big Ten Network starting at 2 p.m.
