Badger hasn't had much luck against Wilmot recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Badgers will square off against the Panthers at 4:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Badger has four straight wins, Wilmot has five straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Badger had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Janesville Craig on Monday. The Badgers blew past the Cougars 12-5. The game marked the Badgers' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Miah Butinas was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Butinas was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Badger let Kaela Zapadinsky and Lilly Butinas run wild. Zapadinsky went 2-for-3 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs, while Butinas went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. That home run was Zapadinsky's first of the season. Claire Polyock was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Badger lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post two or more home runs.
Meanwhile, Wilmot didn't have quite enough to beat Burlington on Thursday and fell 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Panthers have suffered against the Demons since May 2, 2022.
Sarah Josko made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Badger pushed their record up to 5-3 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Wilmot, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-9.
Wilmot's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Badger has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Wilmot, though, as they've been averaging only 2.1 strikeouts. Will Badger keep running through batters, or will the Panthers buck the trend?
Badger might still be hurting after the 8-1 loss they got from Wilmot in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Badgers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
