The delayed arrival of spring weather has brought with it success for the Wisconsin softball team. The Badgers (12-5 Big Ten, 35-9 overall) will attempt to build upon their six-game win streak this weekend in Bloomington, Ind. The three-game series will open Friday at 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday’s games will both be played at noon.
Contrary to Wisconsin, the Hoosiers (3-13, 19-28) have lost eight straight games and currently only stand ahead of Penn State in the conference standings. Their last win came April 7 at home against the Nittany Lions. Purdue, Michigan and Illinois have swept Indiana since, so IU will undoubtedly be looking to break its losing streak.
Despite the record of the struggling Hoosiers squad, they do have some talent that can pose a possible threat to Wisconsin. Senior infielder Amanda Wagner is currently ranked No. 13 in the nation for batting, as she holds a .445 average at the plate. Wagner earned a spot on last year’s All-Big Ten second team and was voted Indiana’s Most Valuable Player.
Defensively, the Badgers can expect to see junior pitcher Meaghan Murphy, who has appeared in 25 of Indiana’s games and holds a 2.99 ERA.
Indiana also swept a two-game series against Georgia Tech, who was ranked No. 24 at the time. This suggests the Hoosiers have the ability to compete with anyone, including the Badgers.
Wisconsin looks to continue the same effective formula consisting of solid pitching backed by run support. The Badgers have outscored their opponents 24-14 over their six-game win streak. Badgers stud senior pitcher, Meghan McIntosh, will undoubtedly see action this weekend as she has pitched in three of Wisconsin’s last four games. McIntosh currently holds a 1.64 ERA and an 11-4 record.
Offensively, the Badgers must continue to get runners on base. They have become reliant on the long ball in recent games, so consistency at the plate will be essential to success this weekend. This, coupled with the continuation of stellar pitching, should play in the favor of Wisconsin.
The Badgers last met the Hoosiers in their 2010-’11 season two years ago, where UW was swept in a two-game series.
Wisconsin currently stands third in the Big Ten standings, behind conference undefeateds Michigan and Nebraska. The Badgers can possibly anchor their way past Nebraska following this weekend, as they stand only one-half game behind.
