The Wisconsin softball team topped the Minnesota Golden Gophers 5-3 in game two of a classic border battle Wednesday, after falling 1-0 in the first game.
Game one was representative of the way things have gone for the Badgers this season. They stayed within arun of the Gophers for seven innings after Minnesota went up early, but were unable to come up with big hits in key situations and were shut out.
Freshman Cassandra Darrah got the start for the Badgers in the circle. She struggled early, but eventually found her rhythm and held the Gophers to just one run.
The Badgers had their best scoring opportunity in the fifth inning, but were unable to capitalize on freshman left fielder Mary Massei's leadoff triple.
The triple was especially exciting for Massei, who was making her first start since being injured March 26. Massei collided with fellow outfielder senior Jennifer Krueger at Penn State and suffered facial fractures that sidelined her for almost a month.
""Putting my jersey back on after three and a half weeks and being there with my team felt great,"" Massei said.
The Badgers, however, were unable to bring her in to score.
Despite bringing up the top of the order in the sixth, the Badgers could not get anything going offensively and once again suffered another shut out defeat.
Darrah walked in the only Minnesota run of the day, as her struggles to receive run support continue, and her record fell to 12-7.
In the first inning of game two, sophomore catcher Kari Dorle gave her Minnesota team an early advantage with a two-run home run off sophomore pitcher Meghan McIntosh.
The Gophers added another run in the second with an RBI single from senior first baseman Malisa Barnes.
After being shutout in game one, the Badgers answered quickly with a four-run second inning in the second game.
Throughout the season, the Badgers have taken themselves out of close games thanks in part to their costly errors. On Wednesday, however, the Badgers made Minnesota pay for their two untimely mistakes.
Freshman shortstop Stephanie Peace ignited the Wisconsin offense with a one-out single in the second inning of game two. She was followed in the lineup by freshman first baseman Michelle Mueller who hit a routine double play ball.
But an error by Minnesota's shortstop kept both runners on base for hot-hitting sophomore second baseman Whitney Massey., who singled to left field.
Peace was able to score Wisconsin's first run of the day after the ball got away from the Gophers catcher.
UW head coach Yvette Healy isaid she was proud of the way Massey has been hitting lately.
""She did a nice job,"" Healy said. ""She got us some key hits and we're really proud of her.""
Later in the second, with two outs and two runners still on, sophomore right fielder Kendall Grimm gave the Badgers their first lead of the day courtesy of the long ball. On the first pitch she saw, Grimm smashed the ball over the center field wall, putting the Badgers up 4-3, for the eventual 5-3 victory.
