Hiring a new head coach for the 2011 season, the Wisconsin softball team started down a long road toward turning the program around. Perhaps in a testament to the leadership of head coach Yvette Healy or to the will of the team to turn a new page, the Badgers have proven their ability to play with the best in the Big Ten Conference.
As the Badgers continue to improve as the season progresses, individual players are starting to be rewarded for their efforts. The first was freshman Amanda Najdek, named Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week for the week of April 4.
Wisconsin can add another name to the list of honored Badgers as of Monday: Senior Jennifer Krueger was named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week. Krueger is the first Badger given the honor since Samantha Polito in 2007.
Krueger led the way for the Badgers this past week as they improved their record to 6-10 in Big Ten play and 26-21 overall. She hit successfully in seven of 11 at-bats and reached once on a hit-by-pitch, scoring four runs in four games.
In Wisconsin's two game sweep over the Iowa Hawkeyes, the first in UW history, Krueger recorded two hits and scored once as the Badgers completed the comeback in game one, taking the victory 7-6. In game two of the double header, Krueger recorded one of her best nights at the plate. Going 3-3 with one walk, she stole a base and reached home once, helping Wisconsin to a 6-3 win.
Later in the week, Krueger provided the only sparks in the Badgers' series against the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines.
Perfect once again, Krueger hit her first double of the season and stole another base. She would score the only run of the game in the five inning, 9-1 loss.
Failing to record a hit the next night, Krueger would still reach base after being hit by a pitch. Advancing around the bags, she would eventually score Wisconsin's only run of the game on a sac fly as the Badgers came up short, falling 2-1.
Krueger is having an impressive season at the plate, improving on her numbers from the last year. She leads the Badgers with a batting average of .385, 57 hits and 33 runs. She'll look to continue her outstanding play as Wisconsin welcomes in-state rival Green Bay to Goodman Diamond for a double header Wednesday.
