Wisconsin returned home to Goodman Diamond Wednesday, splitting a doubleheader with South Dakota.
Though South Dakota came into the day with an unimpressive 6-24 record, it proved to be a real handful for the Badgers in the first game of the day.
The Coyotes played strong, recording 11 hits on offense, and amassing zero errors on the other side of the ball.
After two scoreless innings, South Dakota’s Yvon Minogue opened her team’s account with a solo home run in the top of the third inning. Christy Warnock followed with a two-run single in the same inning before bringing another teammate home in the fifth.
With the Badgers facing their biggest deficit of the game, they managed a quick and impressive response. Chloe Miller, Sara Novak and Samantha Arents all knocked in runners, and the inning ended with both teams tied at four runs.
The deadlock didn’t last very long however, as the Coyotes replied with three runs of their own in the sixth inning.
Hope of a comeback was briefly restored in the bottom of the sixth, as Katie Christner homered and Novak provided her second RBI of the day. However, the Badgers scored no more runs, with South Dakota managing to eek out a 7-6 win.
The second game of the day was far less climactic, as Wisconsin breezed past South Dakota in a 10-2 win.
Once again, the two teams started the game without much fanfare, and the scoreline stood at 1-1 after two innings.
However, the Badgers soon brought the game to life, erupting for six runs in the third inning. Kelly Welsh and Arrents both chipped in with an RBI apiece before two errors from the Coyotes on the same play allowed Macy Oswald and Christner to both reach home.
Another three runs in the fifth inning brought the Badgers’ lead to eight runs, subsequently ending the game and moving the team to 17-13 on the year.
The Badgers’ pitching was also impressive in the rubber match. Kirsten Stevens allowed just two earned runs in a complete game en route to claiming her eighth win of the season.
Wisconsin will welcome Ohio State to Goodman Diamond over the weekend, where it will hope to play more consistently than it did against South Dakota.
