The Wisconsin softball team proved they could hang with the top dogs of the Big Ten this weekend, but fell short in both games against second place Indiana, losing 4-3 in extra innings Saturday and 6-3 Sunday.
The Badgers (2-6 Big Ten, 22-17 overall) jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of Sunday's contest against the Hoosiers (8-2, 26-15) courtesy of junior designated hitter Karla Powell's ninth home run of the season.
In the bottom half of the first, Indiana got one run back with an RBI single from senior Morgan Melloh.
Powell would drive in the only other Wisconsin run of the day. In the third inning, she singled to right field, scoring freshman shortstop Stephanie Peace who doubled earlier in the inning.
After giving up just one run in two and one-thirds innings, freshman Amanda Najdek entered the game to relieve sophomore Meghan McIntosh.
Najdek inherited two runners and hit the first batter she faced to load the bases with one out. Melloh stepped up to the plate next with another chance to help herself.
Najdek, however, got Melloh to ground out to Peace, who went home with the ball. Peace's throw to the plate just beat freshman second baseman Ashley Warrum to record the second out of the inning. Najdek came up with a big strikeout against the next batter she faced.
With the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Melloh came through again offensively with an RBI single. But the Indiana threat would end there, and the Hoosiers still trailed 3-2.
The Badgers struggled offensively once Melloh fell into her groove.
Melloh added two more strikeouts in the seventh to give her Hoosier's one last chance.
Sophomore shortstop Breanna Saucedo got things started with a leadoff single that would end the day for Najdek.
McIntosh re-entered the game with a runner on first and nobody out. Warrum bunted safely, putting runners at the corners.
After facing just one batter, McIntosh was replaced by freshman Cassandra Darrah. Darrah intentionally walked dangerous hitter, senior first baseman Sara Olson, who drew her fourth walk of the day.
Wagner stepped up to the plate and delivered a blow to a hopeful Badgers squad. After falling behind in the count 1-2, she belted the ball out of the park for her third home run of the season and first career grand slam.
The Badgers were lucky to take their lead so late into the game on a day when they committed four errors. McIntosh suffered the loss and drops to 8-9.
Despite scoring the first run of the day with a leadoff home run by sophomore Shannel Blackshear Saturday, it was the Badgers who rallied in game one before falling in eight innings.
Blackshear was placed in the leadoff spot for the first time in her career, while senior left fielder Jennifer Krueger dropped to number two in the batting order for the first time this season.
The Hoosiers threatened in the first by loading the bases, but Darrah, who got the start for UW, was able to get out of the jam.
Darrah faced another bases-loaded situation, and this time the Hoosiers took advantage. Darrah issued two bases-loaded walks before Saucedo capped off the three-run inning with an RBI single to put Indiana up 3-1.
Peace tied the game with a two-run homer in the sixth.
At the end of the seventh, the score remained 3-3 and the game headed to extras innings.
The Hoosiers lead off the eighth with three straight singles, including one to right field that got away from sophomore left fielder Abby Gregory, which allowed Saucedo to score the game's winning run.
Darrah, now 12-6, pitched the complete game.
Over the weekend, Melloh earned wins number 21 and 22 while striking out 34 Badgers, including 21 on Saturday.
The Hoosiers increased their win streak to seven while handing Wisconsin two more Big Ten losses.
