| softBALL RESULTS |
Kentucky 2, LIU-Brooklyn 1
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Alabama 7, Virginia Tech 3
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Auburn vs. Oklahoma (Postponed)
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Alabama vs. Oklahoma (Postponed)
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Georgia 2, Western Illinois 0
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Georgia 8, Buffalo 0
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Michigan 3, Kentucky 0
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Florida 11, Michigan State 1
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Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh (Cancelled)
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DePaul 3, LSU 1
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LSU 11, Cal-State Northridge 0
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South Carolina 5, Illinois-Chicago 0
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Florida International 3, South Carolina 1
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Arkansas 4, Drake 1
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South Florida 7, Arkansas 6
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O’Brien’s Triple Propels UK Past LIU Brooklyn
BOCA RATON, Fla.– Junior Alice O’Brien sliced a triple along the right field line in the fifth inning and came around to score on an errant throw to lift the No. 22/24 Kentucky softball team to a 2-1 victory over LIU Brooklyn. The win marked the third consecutive victory for the Blue and White.
Seniors Rachel Riley and Chanda Bell combined for the win in the circle as Bell gets credited with her first victory of the season. Riley worked four innings and yielded four hits while striking out four. Bell relived her classmate in the fifth, striking out five and allowing zero hits.
With the win Kentucky now owns a 4-3 record on the year, while LIU drops to 0-8. UK will return to the field at 1 p.m. ET in a matchup with No. 11 Michigan.
Junior Kara Dill led the offensive effort with a 2-for-3 day at the dish and a run scored. Three other UK players notched a hit with O’Brien recording the lone extra-base hit.
Dill earned a base with a well-placed two-out bunt single in the home half of the first. The speedy shortstop was able to move all the way to third when LIU Brooklyn threw the ball to first with nobody covering during the play. Riley then delivered an RBI single through the left side to plate the first run of the game and give UK a 1-0 advantage.
With the scored tied at one, O’Brien led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple that laced the right field line. An errant throw attempting to get the runner ended up in the dugout allowing O’Brien to scoot home and give UK the lead at 2-1, marking the only score it would need to hang on for the win.
Riley retired the side to begin the game for the Wildcats. She picked up a pair of strikeouts and forced a fly out to sophomore Emily Jolly in center for the quick three outs.
The Blackbirds had a prime opportunity in the top of the second when they loaded the bases behind a walk, a single and an error on the Wildcats. Riley, however, induced back-to-back groundouts to end the inning unscathed. Kentucky fell in order in the home half of the second still clinging to a one-run lead.
LIU Brooklyn evened the score at one with a solo homer in the top of the third. Kentucky responded by dropping in order in the home half of the inning.
Kentucky turned a double-play to highlight the defensive effort in the top of the fourth persevering the one-one tie. The Wildcats again dropped in order during the home side of the fifth.
Bell relieved Riley in the fifth and after yielding a leadoff walk, the right-hander notched nine consecutive outs to preserve the victory.
No. 2 Alabama Downs Virginia Tech, 7-3
AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 2 ranked Alabama softball team opened day two of the SEC/ACC/Big XII Challenge with a 7-3 victory over Virginia Tech, Saturday morning from Jane B. Moore Field. After the win the Crimson Tide improve to 6-0 on the season.
Alabama freshman pitcher Leslie Jury earned her first collegiate win as she allowed three unearned runs on two hits while striking out three in six innings of work. Fellow newcomer Jadyn Spencer allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief. The appearance was a career first for the Iowa native.
The Tide outhit the Hokies 8-3 on the day with junior Kayla Braud leading the way with two hits, two runs and three stolen bases. Senior Cassie Reilly-Boccia continued to stay hot at the plate as she drove in three runs.
After giving up an unearned run in the top of the second the Crimson Tide answered with four in the bottom half. Junior Keima Davis started the scoring with a two-run double down the line in right and then later in the frame Reilly-Boccia drove in two on a single up the middle.
Virginia Tech (7-2) scored a single unearned run atop the fifth inning but once again Alabama had an answer. Senior Jazlyn Lunceford hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer over the wall in center to hand the Tide a 6-2 lead.
Alabama extended the lead to 7-3 when Reilly-Boccia brought Braud home on a sac-fly to right. Braud got the sixth inning going when she doubled off the wall in right-center and then promptly stole third.
The Tide was supposed to play a doubleheader on Saturday but inclement weather decided otherwise as UA was set to take on No. 4 Oklahoma but the game was canceled.
Alabama will close out the tournament Sunday morning when it faces No. 15 ranked Oklahoma State. The two WCWS teams are scheduled for a 9 a.m., first pitch.
MSU Round-Robin Saturday's Games Cancelled
Due to the potential for rain, Saturday's softball games in the Bulldog Round-Robin have been cancelled. Play resumes tomorrow with SIU-Edwardsville vs. Mississippi Valley State at 11 a.m., followed by a Mississippi State doubleheader against both teams starting at 1 p.m.
Georgia Shuts Out Western Illinois, Buffalo
ATHENS, Ga.—With two shutout wins on Saturday in the Georgia Softball Classic, the University of Georgia softball team improved its record to 8-1 on the season. The No. 14 Bulldogs took down Western Illinois 2-0 in game one and Buffalo 8-0 in five innings the following game.
Senior Ashley Pauly posted a .600 average for the day after going 3-for-5 with a run and RBI. Juniors Macie Couey and Tess Sito hit at .500, as both went 2-for-4. Sito got home twice with two RBI while Couey made one trip around the bases.
Game One-Georgia 2, Western Illinois 0
Georgia grabbed a 2-0 win over Western Illinois in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Sito, making her second start as a Bulldog, threw a complete game shutout to improve to 2-0. Sito allowed just four hits and struck out two. Western Illinois’ Hailey Bickford suffered the loss to drop to 0-4 on the year. She gave up two runs on six hits and three walks.
Georgia jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Niaja Griffin, who was hit by a pitch, and Pauly, who reached on a single, scored on a pair of sacrifice flies by Kristyn Sandberg and Sito.
Western Illinois threatened in the top of the third, as Emma Jarrell picked up a one-out single. The Bulldogs caught her trying to get to second for the second out of the inning. After allowing a single, Sito got the final batter swinging to end the inning.
Game Two- Georgia 8, Buffalo 0 (5 Inn.)
The Bulldogs used a pair of home runs by Sandberg and Brittney Hubbard to power past Buffalo 8-0 in five innings for the second game of the day.
Erin Arevalo improved to 4-0 with the win. Arevalo allowed two hits while striking out five. Tori Speckman dropped to 1-2 this season, allowing 6 runs on five hits and four walks.
Sandberg scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning with a solo shot over the left field wall that put Georgia on top 1-0. The home run was her third of the season.
The Bulldogs tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third with the help of a Hubbard home run. With one out and runners at second and third, Hubbard launched a no-doubter to center that stretched Georgia’s lead to 4-0.
Georgia made it an 8-0 game in the bottom of the fourth. Macie Couey got things started with a one-out single to center and moved to second on an illegal pitch that also put Anna Swafford aboard. Couey was able to score a batter later, as Pauly got a one-base hit. With Sandberg loading the bases on a hit by pitch, Sito’s walk brought Swafford to home before Paige Wilson posted a two-RBI single to end the game’s scoring.
Wildcats Strand Seven in Loss to No. 11 Michigan
BOCA RATON, Fla.– In a 3-0 loss to No. 11/11 Michigan, the No. 22/24 Kentucky softball team stranded seven base runners missing out on pushing across runs as the Wildcats fall to 4-4 on the season. Michigan improves to 6-1 with the win. Sophomore Emily Jolly led the bats with a pair of hits including a seventh-inning double.
The Wildcats will wrap-up action at the FAU Kickoff Classic with an 11 a.m. ET tilt against Maryland on Sunday.
With UK trailing 3-0 going into the last at-bat, Jolly led off the inning by roping a double over the left fielder’s head. Following consecutive outs, Jolly was caught stealing in an attempt to take third for the final out of the inning.
Junior Kara Dill reached in the top of the first with two outs thanks to a hit by pitch, but UK could not move the runner as the inning ended on a pop-up to second. Despite yielding a two-out double, starting pitcher Ellen Weaver escaped the inning with a strikeout to keep the Wolverines at bay.
Sophomore Lauren Cumbess opened the second with a single into center. Junior Alice O’Brien shifted the runner on a sacrifice bunt. Jolly then sliced a ball up the gut to place runners on the corners, but the inning ended on a pop-up to short leaving two more runners aboard for UK.
Michigan plated three scores in the bottom of the second behind a trio of hits and a Wildcat miscue to grab a 3-0 advantage.
Senior Brittany Cervantes opened the top of the third by lacing a double into the right-center gap and Dill notched a one-out hit by pitch to place two runners aboard. However, Kentucky fell victim to back-to-back pop-ups and could not manufacture any additional offense.
O’Brien singled up the middle to begin the fourth inning. She swiped a bag to move into scoring position and then shifted to third on a wild pitch, but UK could not bring her home suffering three consecutive outs.
Weaver and the Wildcat defense dispersed of Michigan in the home half of the fourth to keep the Wildcats within striking distance. Dill reached base for the third time in the game, this time by utilizing a tremendous bunt single. UK, again, however could not string together hits as the inning ended with her still aboard.
Kentucky responded by retiring the side in the home half of the fifth to keep UK within striking distance. The Blue and White fell in order in the top of the sixth marking the first inning of the game the designated visitor’s did not place a runner on base.
Senior Rachel Riley entered in the bottom of the sixth with one out and the bases jammed. She swiftly forced a grounder to Cumbess and Cervantes made a spectacular diving snag to preserve the 3-0 score.
Top-Ranked Florida Softball Earns Program’s 700th Victory with 11-1 Series Clincher Over Michigan State
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In front of 1,278 Orange and Blue-clad fans at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, the No. 1/3 Gator Softball team shut down the Michigan State Spartans for the second day in a row in another five-inning victory Saturday afternoon to clinch the series. The Gators (8-0) defeated the Spartans, 11-1, behind the arm of freshman Alyssa Bache (Clearwater, Fla.), who earned her first career victory in a Gator uniform as the squad earned the Florida’s 700th all-time victory.
Bache was perfect through four innings Saturday before allowing a base runner on after a hit-by-pitch, followed by two hits and one run in the fifth and final inning. The freshman righty improved to 1-0, fanning four Spartans and walking none through the five-inning run-rule victory – UF’s sixth of the season.
The Gators jumped out of the gates quick in Saturday’s contest, putting up four runs in the first, two in the second and five in the fourth frame to cruise to the series-clinching victory over the Spartans, who fell to 1-6 on the 2012 season.
Florida faced three different MSU hurlers, as starter Rebecca Rogers (0-1) chalked up the loss after allowing UF’s four runs and hits in the first inning. Carly Nielson tossed 2.0, while Shelby Wise threw the bottom of the fourth against the Orange and Blue.
For the second-consecutive day, freshman Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.) and junior Brittany Schutte (Fountain Valley, Calif.) teamed up for back-to-back bombs in the bottom of the fourth to aid the Gators to victory as Haeger once again went yard with a two-run shot, while Schutte knocked her second solo shot of the year.
Production from the top of UF’s lineup helped lead the Gators to victory as UF’s top four batters combined for 10 of Florida’s 13 hits on the afternoon. Schutte was perfect at the plate with a 3-for-3 performance, with two runs and two RBI, while Haeger was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Leadoff freshman Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) went 3-for-4, while senior Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) was 2-for-4 at the plate with one run and a RBI.
Sophomore shortstop Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.), junior designated player Ensley Gammel (Bakersfield, Calif.) and freshman Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.) each tallied one hit apiece.
A Haeger one-out RBI single in the first got the Gators on the board, followed by a junior Kelsey Horton (Valrico, Fla.) sac fly for UF’s second run. A two-out, two-RBI Gammel base hit plated Schutte and Coyle, who reached on a base hit and base on balls, respectively, as UF led 4-0 after the first frame.
In the second inning, the Gators’ two RBIs to extend the Orange and Blue lead, 6-0, were thanks to Moultrie and Schutte base hits as Damico crossed home on Moultrie’s hit after leading off the inning with a hit of her own, while Schutte drove in S. Fagan, who laid down a bunt single to reach base.
The Gators capitalized on of a combination of Michigan State errors and two bases loaded situations in the bottom of the fourth to put up five runs, as Haeger wasted no time getting Moultrie – who laid down a bunt single and advanced to second on a MSU error – across home with her team-leading third homer of the season. Next up, Schutte went yard for the 9-0 lead, giving Florida momentum to load the bags and scratch two more runs across home for its final 11 runs.
Michigan State got a little something going at the top of the fifth to spoil a no-hitter for Bache, as pinch hitters Sarah Bowling and Stephanie Sanders both entered to provide a spark for the Spartans after Bache allowed pinch hitter Melanie Bensema on after a hit-by-pitch. It was Sanders who sent a base hit to right field to bring home Bensema’s pinch runner Kelsey Cleary for MSU’s sole run, but the effort was too little, too late for the Spartans as Florida still held a 10-run lead after Bache fanned Ellie Stoffer and forced a McKinzie Freimuth foul out to end the inning.
No. 25 Softball Splits at Louisville Slugger Desert Classic
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – After dropping a 3-1 decision to DePaul, the No. 25 LSU softball team responded in a big way to pick up an 11-0 five-inning rout of Cal State Northridge Saturday at Eller Media Stadium on the UNLV campus.
“I was a little disappointed in how we came out against DePaul,” head coach Beth Torina said. “We had to have an answer, and it was nice to see our team bounce back against Cal State Northridge. I put some pressure on them to clean some things defensively, and we started to swing the bats a little better.”
The 11 runs for LSU (3-3) were a season-high, while the eight hits equaled a season-best. The Tigers also racked up six stolen bases, turned two double plays and limited Cal State Northridge (0-8) to one hit.
Allison Falcon ripped off a 3-for-4 performance with a RBI and scored two runs making her debut in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. The three hits for Falcon matched a career-high.
Ashley Langoni garnered a 2-for-3 effort and drove home three RBIs, while A.J. Andrews and Tammy Vermeulen notched their first career RBIs.
“Allison is doing an excellent job and has earned her spot at the top of the lineup,” Torina said. “I wish we had more players swinging the way that she’s swinging right now. I like the way she’s being aggressive and going after pitches.”
LSU raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Falcon started her three-hit game with a single to centerfield followed by a Juliana Santos walk. After a double steal put the runners in scoring position, Langoni laced a two-run single through the right side.
The Tigers tacked on a quartet of runs during the third inning. Santos and Ashley Langoni set the table for Rikki Alcaraz, who ripped a RBI-single down the left field line. Three batters later, Alcaraz scored on a wild pitch. Lauren Houston and Simone Heyward added sacrifice flies to make it 6-0.
Brittany Mack tossed three innings of one-hit ball and recorded three strikeouts to improve to 1-2 on the season. Out of the bullpen, Meghan Patterson fanned three batters against one walk during her season debut.
LSU ripped off five more runs in the fifth inning for the final margin of 11-0. The frame was highlighted by a Tammy Vermeulen’s two-run single with the bases loaded. Andrews, Falcon and Langoni also secured RBIs.
Game 1 – DePaul 3, No. 25 LSU 1
DePaul broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning as Kirsten Verdun advanced to third base on a one-out single after an Ashley Langoni fielding error in left field. The next batter, Megan Coronado, plated Verdun on a double that hit off the glove of a diving Allison Falcon.
The Tigers evened the tally at 1-1 with a two-out rally during the sixth inning. Juliana Santos smoked a double down the left field line. She came around to score on an error as DePaul first baseman Mary Connolly dropped a throw from third baseman Lynsey Ciezki, which would have been the third out of the inning.
The Blue Demons (5-3) used small ball to fire back with two runs aided by three infield singles in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded, Ciezki provided the go-ahead RBI-single to left field. The bases remained loaded and Samantha Dodd placed on a slow roller that hugged the first base chalk for an insurance run to put DePaul ahead 3-1.
LSU’s Rachele Fico was tagged with the loss to drop to 2-1 on the season. She registered six strikeouts and was touched up for three runs, two earned, on eight hits.
Bree Brown went the distance for DePaul and finished with five Ks against one walk. She has won both of her decisions on the young season.
LSU wraps up the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic Sunday versus No. 3 California [1:15 p.m. CT] and Utah State [3:30 p.m. CT] at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park in Las Vegas.
“There isn’t any pressure on us,” Torina said. “It will be a nice opportunity for our players to relax, play big and be super aggressive. Cal is one the best teams in the country. Hopefully, we can show and play at the level that we’re capable of.”
White’s Two-Hitter Propels South Carolina to 5-0 Win over Illinois-Chicago
MIAMI, Fla. – An efficient and commanding performance from senior pitcher Kierstyn White led South Carolina (5-1) to a 5-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago (4-5) in Saturday’s first game for the Gamecocks in the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial at Florida International University.
White (2-1) tossed 74 pitches and gave up only two hits, both in the seventh inning, in her first career shutout. She walked two and struck out one in the complete-game victory.
The Gamecocks got on the board in the first thanks to senior Kaitlin Westfall’s RBI double, scoring junior Samie Garcia from second after she got on with an infield single and moved to second on junior Hannah Milks’ sacrifice bunt. The lead grew to 2-0 after sophomore Chelsea Hawkins blasted a ball over the left-field wall in the second.
In the fourth, Garcia came through for the second-straight game with the bases loaded, getting a hit off Flame pitcher Ashley Hewett to score sophomore Dana Hathorn to make it 3-0. The Gamecocks concluded their scoring in the sixth on a fielder’s choice by Garcia, scoring senior pinch runner Sam Arbaugh, and on senior Evan Childs’ bases-loaded walk.
Garcia went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Westfall had two doubles and an RBI in her 2-for-2 outing. Hathorn and Hawkins both added two hits.
Hewett (1-3) took the loss for UIC, giving up three earned runs on six hits and three walks. She struck out three.
Errors Plague South Carolina in 3-1 Loss at Florida International
MIAMI, Fla. – Two errors in the third inning doomed South Carolina (5-2) in a 3-1 loss to Florida International (4-4) on Saturday night at the FIU Softball Complex.
All three Golden Panther runs came in the third that started when Alex Casals reach on an error by the Gamecock shortstop. A fielder’s choice led Casals reach second when the throw hit the runner sliding into the bag. A single to right by Ashley McClain loaded the bases for FIU. Beth Peller hit a grounder to second, and sophomore Dana Hathorn knocked down the ball and got the out at first, but Casals scored on the play. After a foul out, Shelby Graves hit a single to left, scoring Megan Horne. A misplay by the Gamecock leftfielder allowed McClain to score as well, making it 3-0.
The Gamecocks got on the board with their only two hits in the game coming with two down in the fifth. Senior centerfielder Lauren Lackey hit a single off FIU pitcher Mariah Dawson, and junior Samie Garcia followed with a double to left center on the next pitch, scoring Lackey from first to close the gap to 3-1.
South Carolina got the tying run to the plate with one out in the seventh after freshman pinch hitter Lacey Rother drew a walk, but Dawson got a pop out and a fly out to end the frame and contest.
Dawson (3-1) got the win, giving up the one earned run on two hits and three walks. She struck out three. Redshirt junior Audrey Broyles (1-1) took the hard-luck loss, allowing three unearned runs on four hits and a walk, while she fanned one in four innings. Freshman Katelynn Howser tossed two spotless innings in relief for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks close out their stay at the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial with two games on Sunday, with the first one starting at 11 a.m. against Jacksonville.
Arkansas Splits Pair of Games
Tampa, Fla. – After games being cancelled on Friday due to weather conditions, the Arkansas Razorback softball team came out ready to play at the USF Invitational in Tampa, Fla. Arkansas went 1-1 on the day moving its overall record to 5-2.
In its first match up of the day Arkansas took on the Drake at 12:00 p.m. ET. The Razorbacks struck early in the first inning when they received back-to-back singles from freshman Devon Wallace and sophomore Clarisa Navarro. Freshman Sierra Bronkey, came up to bat and grabbed a double bringing in both runners on base and giving Arkansas to 2-0 lead.
“A lot of our first year players are really stepping up offensively for the team,” said Head Coach Mike Larabee. “We are getting a lot of hits and quality at bats and that is what we want.”
Drake answered with one run in the bottom of the first after a walk, and a stolen base which was then brought in off a single.
Offense was quiet from both teams until the top of the seventh when freshman Katie Harrison slammed a homerun over the centerfield wall; her second of the year. After a few walks and double by sophomore Amanda Geile; pinch runner, Maddie Reese was brought in to give the Razorbacks four runs. The Bulldogs were unable to respond in the bottom seventh giving the Razorbacks the 4-1 win.
Junior Chelsea Cohen held strong in the circle for all seven innings collecting her second win of the season. Cohen with an overall ERA of .76 threw three strikeouts and only allowed one run improving her season record to 2-1.
The Razorbacks came out strong in the first inning in their second game of the day against USF. Wallace single was eventually brought in by a powerful line drive to the left field wall by Harrison to give Arkansas the 1-0 lead.
The Bulls answer in the bottom of the first with a double by their third baseman to bring home a run and tie the game at one.
USF got hot at the plate in the bottom of the third bringing in three runs and taking the lead 4-1.
In the top of the fifth Navarro gave the Razorbacks a spark with a double bringing in Bass who was pinch running for Wallace. Navarro also scored in the fifth bringing the score to 5-3.
The game came down to the seventh inning and sophomore Ashley Martindale, She battled through numerous pitches with the game on the line and came up with a hit. She was followed by sophomore Jayme Gee who added a single. Senior Tori Mort stepped up to the plate and showed her leadership by blasting a double and bringing home Martindale.
“Marty has one of the biggest hearts on our team,” said Larabee “She is such a tough kid mentally.”
The Razorbacks took the lead after USF intentionally walked Wallace to load the bases. Junior Andrea Sullivan came in to pinch hit and was hit by a pitch which allowed Gee to come home.
Even with all the battling and heart that the Razorbacks displayed, they just could not hold the Bulls in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs down USF hit a single and two doubles to bring in the winning run.
“I told the team that I was so proud of their effort and the heart they showed,” said Larabee. “We came up just a little bit short but hopefully we can take our frustrations out on Wisconsin tomorrow.”
Freshman Kimmy Beasley got the start throwing three innings and grabbing two strikeouts. Freshman Ciara Clampitt came into the game in the fourth, throwing 2.1 innings also recording two strikeouts. Cohen finished the game pitching 1.1 innings.
Arkansas is back in action tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. where they will take on the Badgers of Wisconsin.