After a close game against Illinois Friday that resulted in a loss, the Badgers (9-6-1 Big Ten, 24-17-1 overall) were looking to come back with a vengeance Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game series. They did just that, beating the Illini (6-10, 27-19) by the score of 4-1.
At the top of the first inning, the Badgers had a rough start, committing a throwing error and allowing Illinois to score their only run of the day, making the score 1-0.
Once the Badgers got to hit at the bottom of the first, the party got started right away when Ashley Van Zeeland reached first on the leadoff hit. Kelsey Jenkins and Chloe Miller also were able to advance, loading the bases for Sam Arents. Arents walked in a four-pitch at bat that brought Van Zeeland home and allowed her to tie the game, 1-1.
After Sara Novak hit into a fielder’s choice, Kelly Welsh hit a two-RBI single, scoring Arents and Miller, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Badgers.
There was no scoring action again until the bottom of the third inning, when Katie Christner hit an RBI single with the bases loaded, bringing Melanie Cross in to score and pushing the score to 4-1.
The next two innings were pitchers’ battles between Wisconsin’s Kirsten Stevens and Breanna Wonderly of Illinois. Stevens, a junior, pitched a season-high seven strikeouts during the game.
“I haven’t really pitched a lot of full games this season," Stevens said. "A lot of our go-to style for pitching has been combo so I was pitching really well this game so they decided to keep on pushing it with each inning. I felt really good. I usually don’t get a lot of strikeouts typically too so today was such a great day.”
Head coach Yvette Healy also had positive things to say about Saturday’s win.
“[Illinois is] such a quality program,” Healy said. “They’re a top-50 team and I was just happy with how much improved we looked across the board so I think it was a great effort on the mound and offensively it was just kind of a whole team effort.”
The Badgers will be back in action at 1 p.m. Sunday for the final game of the series at Goodman Diamond.
