Wisconsin softball makes history in Big Ten Tournament

The Wisconsin women’s softball team became the first No. 11 seed to reach the Big Ten Semifinal Game after a win against Rutgers on Thursday.

UW’s 7-3 victory over the No. 3-seed Scarlet Knights clinched the program’s first birth to the semis since 2019.

Pitcher Tessa Magnanimo threw a complete game and freshman catcher Hillary Bloomberg powered in a 5-RBI performance to fuel the Badgers on the offensive end of the diamond.

Bloomberg first struck in the top of the first after Danielle Lucey stole second. Bloomberg’s single brought Lucey home, and UW established an early 1-0 edge.

Magnanimo did not allow a Rutgers run until the bottom of the fourth, that before the Badgers capitalized on a few Scarlet Knight errors to take a 5-1 lead in the fifth.

Wisconsin would only allow two more Rutgers runs in the contest and finished the game with a 7-3 triumph.

UW will now face No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten Conference Tournament Semifinal. The game will be aired on the Big Ten Network Friday night at 6:30 p.m. central