INSIDE SOFTBALL
BY ANNA POULTER-HENDRICKSON
@BadgerSoftball
SCHEDULE (30-9, 7-5)
This Week
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Wednesday
Next Week
April 26
April 27
April 28
Badgers putting pieces
in place for postseason
UW looking to take program to next level
W
ith the team off to a
program-best
30-9
start, everyone is looking for
instant gratification. But as
head coach Yvette Healy put
it, "you've got to be able to
crawl before you can walk."
Wisconsin has earned
wins over ranked opponents,
now the next step is putting
all of the pieces in place and
60 » VARSITY
APR I L 18, 2013
taking back-to-back games
against a ranked team.
UW went on the road last
week and posted a win over
then-No. 22-ranked Nebraska, but was unable to claim
the series.
It is a learning process
that Healy is focused on improving. "You've got to learn
how to win one before you
Ohio State
6 p.m.
Ohio State
1 p.m.
Ohio State
1 p.m.
Northwestern 3/5 p.m.
at Indiana
at Indiana
at Indiana
5 p.m.
Noon
Noon
learn how to win the series," she said.
"That's what we're doing."
For UW, the ability to put together
back-to-back wins against ranked
opponents is going to play a large
role in its postseason success. The
Big Ten tournament is single elimination with the winner automatically
qualifing for the NCAA tournament.
The process continues in NCAA
regionals ― a four-team, doubleelimination tournament ― with the
winning team advancing to Super
Regionals.
UW is laying the foundation for
success in the postseason now, but it
is a process the team ― and fans ―
can't get too worked up about.
"Everybody is anxious," said
Healy. "They want to be the top 25
team now. We're hovering. We're a
top 30 team, and that's a huge improvement."
All three of the seasons Healy has
put together at UW have been huge
improvements. With its win over
Green Bay on Tuesday, UW has now
recorded 30-plus wins in each of
Healy's three seasons, a feat never
before achieved.
Wisconsin has mastered the crawl
and is now poised to sprint.
