The Wisconsin softball team split a doubleheader with Northern Illinois Wednesday in a pair of one-run affairs. In the first game, the Badgers fell in extra innings 5-4, before taking the second 4-3.
The first game did not start off well for the Badgers. In the top of the second inning, a pair of infield errors allowed the Huskies to plate the game's first run. Soon after, with the bases loaded, Husky freshman Amanda Sheppard hit a bases-clearing double to deep left center to open a 4-0 lead for Northern Illinois.
The Badgers would respond in the bottom half of the frame, however. With runners on second and third and two outs, junior outfielder Ashley Hanewich ripped a triple to left center for the first of her three hits on the day, scoring both runners and cutting the Husky lead in half.
Wisconsin would tie the game in the bottom half of the fifth inning when freshman Shannel Blackshear singled on a ground ball up the middle with the bases loaded, scoring the runners on second and third.
With the game still tied at the end of the seventh inning, the two teams headed for the extra frame. In the top of the eighth inning, Northern Illinois was allowed to start the inning with a runner on second base according to college softball tiebreaking procedures.
The Huskies quickly took advantage of that runner. After the runner was bunted over to third, Northern Illinois senior Michelle Williams doubled to right-center, scoring the go-ahead run.
The Badgers were not able to take advantage of their runner on second in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Abby Gregory started the inning at second, but after being moved to third, tried to score on a ground ball and was tagged out at the plate. Senior Letty Olivarez grounded out to seal the 5-4 win for Northern Illinois.
The Badgers weren't without chances in the game, leaving runners in scoring position in the third, fifth and sixth innings.
After the game, players talked about their trouble getting the big hits.
""I think we need to be relaxed and attack our pitch in those clutch situations,"" Olivarez, who took the loss in the first game, said. ""If we get our pitch and hack at the ones we know we can get ahead on, we will be fine.""
""We can't go up to the plate with big eyes,"" junior Dana Rasmussen said. ""We can't be looking to hit a home run in those situations, we just have to be making contact and putting the ball in play.""
In the second game the Badgers got off to an early one-run lead in the third inning, when a single by freshman Molly Spence drove in senior Katie Soderberg.
The Huskies would rally in the fifth, however. With the bases loaded, Williams singled to right-center scoring two. Freshman Jennifer Barnett followed that with a run-scoring single of her own to give the Huskies a 3-1 lead.
With the Badgers still trailing in the final half of the sixth inning, Molly Spence walked and eventually made her way to third base with two outs, when Dana Rasmussen was able to drive her home to cut the Northern Illinois lead to one.
Still with two outs in the inning, freshman Kendall Grimm followed with a single of her own, putting runners on first and second with two outs for Olivarez, who was able to come through with a clutch triple and stake the Badgers a 4-3 lead. Olivarez then shut the door on the Huskies in the top of the seventh to close out the Wisconsin win.
Rasmussen said the earlier loss motivated the Badgers.
""After the first game we thought ‘did that really just happen?'"" Rasmussen said. ""So we really needed to come back and make a statement in the second game.""
After the game, Olivarez talked about her big hit.
""It felt good,"" she said. ""I was struggling all day today, and to come through when we really needed it really pumped me and my teammates up. We talked about how we wanted this game, and we weren't going to let it slip away. We were focused on just getting one hit after another, getting the little hits and moving runners around.""
