Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Wisconsin scored seven unearned runs capitalizing on five Crusader errors on Wednesday night at the Badgers defeated the Valparaiso 9-0 at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.

Two infield singles plated the game's first run in the opening inning for Wisconsin. The Badgers added five in the third, all unearned as the visitors sent ten hitters to the plate in the inning. Three straight hits capped off by a Kris Zacher double in the fourth led the way for three more runs to cross the plate.

Courtney LaFerle (Elgin, Ill./Larkin H.S.) led off the second with a double to leftfield for the Brown and Gold's lone hit off of Eden Brock. Katie Layne came on in relief in the fourth for Wisconsin and retired six of the seven hitters she faced, allowing a lead-off walk to pinch-hitter Jessica Schultz (Hubertus, Wis./Hartford Union H.S.) in the fifth.

Wisconsin (13-17) tallied nine hits in the game led by Zacher who was 3-for-3 with three runs batted in.

Valparaiso (3-28) will return to the diamond on Friday afternoon as the Crusaders host Southern Utah in a Mid-Continent Conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.