The UW softball team (16-7) departs for a series of three doubleheaders next week, two of which will be against Big Ten competition. The Badgers enter the road trip after a successful comeback bid in their home opener at the Goodman Softball Complex Tuesday. The Badgers improved their record in home openers to 10-2 on the strength of a six-run sixth inning. The week will give UW a chance to extend their four-game winning streak and assert themselves as early conference contenders.
The Badgers first foe will be Penn State (14-12) Friday. The Nittany Lions have defeated a pair of ranked teams, Texas and Michigan, and seem to be a threat in the Big Ten this year. Ohio State (17-13), Wisconsin's second opponent, boasts an effective pitching staff which has already posted two no-hitters this season and will look limit the offensive firepower of the Badgers.
So far this season, Wisconsin is 16-0 when it scores three or more runs. Solid pitching by senior Eden Brock and the welcome addition of freshman Letty Olivarez has put the Badgers in a position to win nearly every game so far. The offense has been bolstered by junior outfielder Katie Hyntak. While batting .368 with nine home runs this season, Hyntak's numbers seem to be a herald of things to come.
""Katie Hnatyk should be no surprise. But she's been on fire, I think with nine home runs already. She broke the home run record for UW only as a junior, so her future is very bright,"" Schulte said.
The Badgers return to Madison April 6 for their first Big Ten home game against Illinois.
