The Wisconsin softball team will look to close a seven game homestand Wednesday on a positive note with an afternoon doubleheader against South Dakota State at Goodman Diamond.
The Badgers have won three of five games in the homestand so far, including an impressive comeback victory over Northwestern last Saturday. Wisconsin faced a 6-0 deficit in the second inning of that game but rallied for a 9-8 victory. That win is tied for the largest comeback victory in Badger softball history.
Wisconsin (2-4 Big Ten, 20-15 overall) has not been daunted by deficits this season. In fact, 11 of the Badgers' 20 victories this season have been comeback wins, a statistic that freshman left fielder Stephanie Peace said reflects the team's ""never quit"" mentality.
""We have a lot of heart,"" Peace said,"" We believe in ourselves as a team and we have the potential to come back and play great ballgames.""
Peace has been successful at the plate recently, and hit a 3-run homer last week against North Dakota. She is currently on a four-game hitting streak, and will look to keep that going against a Jackrabbit pitching staff that has struggled this season, posting a 5.46 team ERA.
South Dakota State has been the complete opposite of the Badgers when it comes to comebacks, sporting a dismal 1-17 record when trailing after two innings. Still, sophomore infielder Whitney Massey said Wisconsin is committed to playing its best softball no matter the caliber of opponent.
""This team is always amped up to play any game,"" Massey said. ""We're going to go after it and try to get as many runs in the first few innings as we can.""
In addition to instilling an attitude of always playing hard, head coach Yvette Healy has emphasized the need for the players to quickly transition from the classroom mentality to the athletic mindset when playing mid-week home games.
It is anyone's guess as to which Wisconsin pitcher will step up Wednesday, as the team has had solid contributions from everyone on the staff all season. This past weekend, freshman pitcher Amanda Najdek starred, keeping the Badgers in their eventual comeback victory over Northwestern by only allowing two runs in five and two-thirds innings of relief.
Sophomore pitcher Meghan McIntosh was also impressive in relief over the weekend, pitching four and one-third innings of shutout softball in relief of Najdek in the second game of the Northwestern twinbill. Unfortunately, McIntosh was not rewarded with a victory, as the Badgers' offense was unable to provide her with any run support.
South Dakota State is not an opponent that strikes fear into the hearts of the Badger players, but the team knows it still has to play hard no matter who the opponent is.
""We just want to come out and play our best ball. Play well and improve every game,"" Peace said.
The first pitch of the doubleheader against the Jackrabbits is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Goodman Diamond.
