INSIDE SOFTBALL BY ANNA POULTER-HENDRICKSON @BadgerSoftball SCHEDULE
Last Five Mar. 16 vs. San Jose State Mar. 18 vs. Oklahoma State Mar. 24 at Iowa Mar. 24 at Iowa Mar. 25 at Iowa
L, 9-0 L, 1-0 W, 1-0 L, 4-3 W, 5-4
This Week Saturday Northwestern (DH) 12/2 p.m. Sunday Northwestern
2 p.m.
Next Five Apr. 3 at UIC Apr. 4 Apr. 6 Apr. 7
at Loyola-IL (DH) Minnesota
Minnesota (DH) Apr. 10 Western Ill. (DH)
4:30 p.m. 3/5 p.m. 1 p.m.
12/2 p.m. 3/5 p.m.
Badgers (finally) open F
ive states, five plane rides, a bus trip and 23
road games later, the Wis- consin softball team finally gets to play in Madison. The Badgers host North- western in a doubleheader that serves as their home- opener Saturday, and the opportunity to host couldn't have come soon enough.
50 » VARSITY MARCH 29, 2012
RPI rankings » Wisconsin ranks 77th in the first RPI ranking of the year and only five schools ranked above UW have not hosted a home game this year. UW and DePaul will be the last of that group to host games, with both schools holding their home opener on Saturday.
home slate this weekend After 23 road games, UW returns to Madison
"We're excited to have our student-athletes back home, to sleep in our own beds and start playing in front of our Wisconsin fans," said head coach Yvette Healy. UW wrapped up 2011 with
an 11-8 home record, includ- ing three straight wins to end the year, a run they look to continue this weekend.
Coming up clutch » Freshman Marissa Mersch made the most out of her start at Iowa on March 25. The right fielder hit a double to score the Badgers' first two runs of the game. Over the weekend, Mersch went 2-for-4, re- cording two RBI and a run.
Timing matters
» In the first four innings of play, UW is outscoring opponents 50- 20. The Badgers are 11-4 when they score first, but fall to 2-6 when their opponent strikes first.
