Despite reaching the 30 game mark on the season, the Wisconsin softball team has only played two games at their own diamond.
The Badgers (1-3 Big Ten, 17-13 overall) are eager to return to the friendly confines of Goodman Softball Complex today where they will embark on a seven game homestand.
First up for the Badgers is a powerful Notre Dame (3-0 Big East, 21-7 overall) team. The Badgers will have their hands full as they try to contain the Fighting Irish, who are undefeated in conference play and coming off a three game series sweep of Providence, where they outscored their opponent by 21 runs.
The Badgers look to beat Notre Dame for the first time in Madison. The Fighting Irish have taken the last three games in the all-time series from the Badgers and lead the series, 4-2.
The Notre Dame softball team reached two milestones amidst their annihilation of Providence over the weekend. Head coach, Deanna Gumpf, who is already recognized as the winningest coach in program history, recorded win number 400.
The win came in a game where her Irish team shutout Providence, 9-0 in five innings of play. Gumpf is in her tenth year as skipper at Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, senior infielder Heather Johnson surpassed the previous shared record for most RBI's in program history on Saturday. With 175, Johnson is the sole leader for most RBI's in Notre Dame softball history.
Freshman pitcher Amanda Najdek and the Badgers, however, will counter with their own recent accomplishment.
After an outstanding performance at Michigan State on Sunday, Najdek was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Najdek is the first Badger to receive a weekly conference honor since Samantha Polito was named Player of the Week April 9, 2007.
Najdek relieved sophomore teammate Meghan McIntosh in the first inning. A struggling McIntosh only recorded one out, while the Spartans had already took to a 3-0 lead via the long ball and were threatening again with two runners on base.
Najdek was able to pitch out of the jam and only gave up one run while throwing a career high six innings. Najdek also recorded four strikeouts in her first career win.
Head coach Yvette Healy acknowledges that her Wisconsin team might not be the most talented team but they are good enough to hang with any team, including a talented Notre Dame squad.
""I'm really proud of just the approach of this team,"" Healy said. ""We're not the most talented team in the country, but we battle. We're fighting back. We're getting better.""
This approach coupled with creative coaching and aggressive base running will be key if the Badgers are to stop a potent Fighting Irish team.
Already this season, the Badgers have 59 stolen bases, second only to last season's school record of 70.
It will be important for the Badgers to get senior outfielder Jennifer Krueger on, who is dangerous on the bases. She led the team in stolen bases for UW last season with 29 and has 21 so far this season. Last season, Krueger was 3-3 and scored two runs for Wisconsin as they fell to Notre Dame, 11-3.
The first pitch is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday at Goodman Diamond.
