Over the weekend, the Badgers (12-5 Big Ten, 30-15 overall) extended their winning streak to tie the school record of 13 straight wins, set last season.
With this week marking the final series of the regular season for Wisconsin, the Badgers look to finish the season by breaking the record against a pair of top 25 opponents in No. 19 Nebraska (14-4, 36-13) and No. 7 Michigan (17-3, 39-9).
Nebraska rolls into Madison for a Wednesday doubleheader on a substantial streak of their own. The Huskers have won 10 straight, and currently sit at second in the Big Ten standings. The team plays well both at the plate and in the pitcher’s circle, centering around two sisters: Taylor and Tatum Edwards.
In the circle, Nebraska is led by senior pitcher Tatum Edwards, who was recently named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. Edwards’ 1.82 ERA is the fourth best for starting pitchers in the Big Ten, and her 170 strikeouts rank fourth as well. The second starter in the Huskers’ rotation, sophomore Emily Lockman, isn’t easily overshadowed, ranking fifth in the conference for ERA with 2.04.
Nebraska’s offense is focused around senior catcher Taylor Edwards, twin sister of the team’s star pitcher. She ranks in the top five of the Big Ten in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, total bases and runs scored, as well as leading the conference in home runs.
After playing the Huskers, UW will make its way to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines. Led by legendary coach Carol Hutchins, the Wolverines are the top team in the Big Ten for yet another year.
While Michigan is a consistent goliath of the Big Ten in softball, the Badgers play the Wolverines at a good time. The team lost three of its last eight games, an uncharacteristically bad skid for a team that rattled off 20 straight wins earlier in the year. On the other hand, the Wolverines are a stellar 11-1 in Ann Arbor this season.
Michigan Sophomore shortstop Sierra Romero, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, leads the Big Ten in seven offensive categories, and is in the top 10 in a handful of other columns. In terms of pitching, the Wolverines’ starters junior Haylie Wagner and freshman Megan Betsa have two of the top three best ERAs in the conference.
The Badgers sit at fourth in the conference standings, but if they can keep their streak alive, they have an outside shot at a No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament beginning May 8. They will be hard pressed to find holes in their opponents’ gameplans, but if they can continue their lights-out pitching and Big Ten Player of the Week, senior third baseman Michelle Mueller, continues to hit well, Wisconsin increases its chances of moving up in the Big Ten rankings before the season expires.
