B1G Softball

Since spring seems to be just underway, it was a mild shock last week to realize the local university was nearly done with its regular season.

After a long standing place on my "I want to do that" list, I finally made it to a Badger softball game yesterday.

It was a nice sunny day - which made all the difference since a 10-15 mile an hour breeze off Lake Mendota into the field created windchill in the 40-something range.

In case you are wondering, there is no varsity baseball team for the Badgers.  It was cut in the early 90s in restructuring of the athletic programs.

My connection to the Badger softball team would not put me very high on their list of most fervent fans.  I check the stories on their games and was excited to see them with the B1G conference tournament title last year to make the NCAA bracket where they lost in a regional final.  I root for them like any other U.W. team, but admittedly follow Badger football, basketball, and hockey the closest.

Just last year, this team was a surprise.  Since they couldn't sneak up on teams again, this year's team played a tougher schedule to get prepared for postseason.  It's working out. With today's 7-3 win over Purdue they swept the three game series and have now won 13 in a row- tying a school record.

It was a good call by officials to move Sunday's game into a doubleheader on Friday and make Saturday's game the one originally planned for Sunday with the Senior Day and community celebration for the team.

Local dairy Schoep's provided free malted milk cups for everybody, and it was cool enough that it wasn't melting too fast and went well with the hot chocolate from the concession stand.

Yellow roses were delivered by Badger players to honor Purdue's graduating players, which was a very nice touch.  One of those Boilermaker seniors, Andie Varsho, is from Chili, Wisconsin (not far from where we used to live in Augusta - a very small community) and while Purdue seniors received warm greetings, the young lady Cheese-head received  the loudest round of applause.

Purdue scored first, with single runs in the second and third inning before the Badgers got back into it and then got a big three run home run to go ahead for good.

The home team plays on the Goodman Diamond - a most appropriate name when you know that the UW alumni Goodman brothers owned and operated a jewelery with their name on it for many years.  They sold it a few years back and it is still one of the thriving shops on Madison's iconic State Street that links the campus to the State Capitol.

The game truly was a celebration with the big win..  But it was a fan fest with many young softball players attending with family and teammates.  There were balloon animals and balloon hats.  There were contests between innings featuring some of the young players.  And a contingent of future softball all-stars carried the Stars and Stripes into center field before the game for the National Anthem

It was a pleasant surprise to find the "Jump Around" on the diamond.

The House of Pain hit is a tradition in Camp Randall on Football Saturdays between the third and fourth quarter and it's becoming part of Badger games across campus.

After the side was retired in the top of the sixth, the familiar notes were sounded and fans were on their feet.  Even players (see left) got into the action jumping up and down with the music.  I found it helped me to warm up quite a bit.

As a northern team, the Badgers have to play most of their games on the road.  Their season started February 7 in Florida and there were 30 games on their schedule before the first home game March 29.

There's a doubleheader left this Wednesday to complete the slate of 15 home games.  So, they are on the cusp of being included in the national rankings and seem to be in good position as the B1G tournament (that's how the Big 10 "spells" its name now - maybe worthy of its own blog sometime) starts May 7.

It was a good time and I hope to get to more games in the future -  the games are competitive at a high-level and pack a big punch for the inexpensive price of admission.

Go Badgers!