Wisconsin softball came into it's final series at home ridding a nine game winning streak and unfortunately for UW that number would be an unlucky one as the Badgers (38-10, 15-6) went down to Michigan State, 9-4, in the series opener on Saturday afternoon.
Nine was a key number as the Spartans (23-23, 8-9 B1G) offense was efficient, getting the nine runs on nine hits in the win. It didn't take MSU long to get on the board either as they opened things up quickly, going up 2-0 in their half of the 1st inning.
However, the Badgers looked like they would have the answers on the afternoon, scoring four runs in their half of the 1st to make it a 4-2 lead to the home team.
That was all the offense the Badgers could muster though as they managed just four hits the rest of the day and were befuddled by Spartans pitcher Kelly Smith who struck out nine UW batters in here five and two-third's of work on the afternoon.
Uncharacteristically the Badgers ace pitcher Meghan McIntosh didn't have it going as she lasted just one and one-third innings, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) on four hits in just her fifth loss of the season. On the bright side for McIntosh was the fact that she recorded all four of her outs via the strikeout.
It was the second inning that really did the Badgers in as they surrendered four runs on four hits, re-taking the lead at 6-4. Taylor-Page Stewart came in for McIntosh in the inning and settled things down, but the damage was already done and UW was done scoring as well.
Whitney Massey and Stephanie Peace each recorded two RBI's on the day, with Kendall Grimm being the only Badger player to record more than one hit on the afternoon.
Wisconsin is still fighting for a No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament next weekend, but it will need to sweep the pair of games coming tomorrow. The final games of the regular season will get underway starting at noon at Goodman Diamond.
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