(UW ATHLETICS) FORT MYERS, FL – The Wisconsin softball team continued it’s winning ways on Friday, earning a pair of victories in the Sunshine State to kick off the weekend.
Strong pitching guided the Badgers (9-2) to two wins, as the staff allowed one run over 14 innings of play. Timely hitting helped in the process, as UW used a big fifth inning to push past UConn, while a pair of solo home runs lifted the Badgers over host Florida Gulf Coast.
GAME ONE
Wisconsin posted three runs in the fifth inning to power past UConn in their first game of the day, tallying their fourth shutout of the season as a pitching staff.
The Badgers and the Huskies found themselves in a pitchers’ duel early on in Fort Myers, as senior Shelby Jacobson and UConn’s Caprice Bohmer each went the first three innings without giving up a hit. Jacobson worked around some trouble throughout most of her start, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings for Wisconsin.
UW got on the board with the help of the bottom of their order, as infielder Makenzie Foster barreled her first double of the season to set up sophomore Hannah Conger. The Gurnee, Illinois, native wasted no time at the plate, singling and scoring Foster to put the Badgers up 1-0.
After Conger made her way into scoring position, junior Hilary Blomberg capitalized with an RBI base hit to double the advantage. With runners on second and third, sophomore Kendra Lewis continued to produce, this time floating a sacrifice fly to the outfield to make it 3-0.
Lewis hopped in the circle and kept the Huskies’ offense to a minimum, allowing zero runs over the final 2.1 innings to secure Wisconsin’s fifth consecutive victory and fourth shutout of the season.
Batting Cleanup:
- Alivia Bark extended her hitting streak to 10 games with a 1-for-3 performance, doubling in the fourth inning.
- Hilary Blomberg eclipsed 100 RBIs in her career with a single in the fifth frame.
- Hannah Conger notched her eighth RBI of the season in a 1-for-3 showing.
- Kendra Lewis added to her on-base streak, which sits at 10 games after walking once.
- Emily Bojan extended her on-base streak to 10 games after walking and scoring a run.
- The Badgers earned their fourth shutout of the season.
- Shelby Jacobson tallied the 100th strikeout of her career, punching out two in 4.2 shutout innings.
- UW improves to 7-0 over UConn all-time.
GAME TWO
It was more of the same for the Badgers in game two, as they defeated host Florida Gulf Coast with the help of timely hits and the second complete game of freshman Berritt Herr’s career.
The right-hander escaped an early jam, striking out back-to-back batters in the first inning to settle into her outing. Herr continued to excel in the circle throughout the game, punching out five batters while only allowing one walk.
Badger pinch runner, Ava Parent, stole home in the second frame with a pair of outs, as junior Makenzie Foster stayed alive in a run-down to allow Parent to cross the plate and put the Badgers on top early.
UW went on to tally a run in each of the next two innings, as senior Emily Bojan got things started with a solo blast, her third homer of the year. An inning later, sophomore Kendra Lewis set the table right away with a leadoff base hit. Freshman Sydney Spear entered as a pinch runner, stealing second base to get in scoring position for junior Danielle Lucey. The Cottage Grove native stepped up in the clutch, barreling a single to right field to go up 3-0.
In the sixth, UW continued to threaten with the bats, as redshirt freshman Jaclyn Showalter launched a solo home run, extending the advantage to 4-0.
The Eagles provided a quick answer in the bottom half of the sixth, as Julia Bacoulis earned an RBI double. The Badgers cut down Baucolis on the basepaths via a relay at third base to end the frame and terminate the rally.
Herr worked around a pair of hits turned in by FGCU in the seventh, securing Wisconsin’s sixth consecutive victory, their longest since the 2023 season.
Batting Cleanup:
- UW’s six consecutive wins marks their longest winning streak since the 2023 season.
- Berritt Herr notched her second career complete game, going the distance with five strikeouts.
- Emily Bojan blasted her third home run of the season, adding to her on-base streak, which now sits at 11 games.
- Kendra Lewis extended her on-base streak to 11 games in a 1-for-3 showing.
- Jaclyn Showalter provided her third home run of the year, going 2-for-3 with a double.
- Danielle Lucey finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Up Next: The Badgers will be back at it tomorrow morning with their second doubleheader of the weekend, taking on Buffalo at 9:00 a.m. CT and Louisville at 11:15 a.m. CT.
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