How to Watch Purdue's First-Round Game in the 2026 Big Ten Softball Tournament
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The regular season has concluded, and it's time to turn the page to the Big Ten Softball Tournament. Purdue earned the No. 10 seed in this year's event and will open tournament action on Wednesday against No. 7 seed Wisconsin.
Wisconsin won the regular-season series against Purdue in early April, taking two of three games. The Badgers won the first two games 3-0 and 10-9, respectively. The Boilermakers took the third contest 4-2.
Back in April, these two teams played pretty evenly throughout the three-game series. That should set up a fun and entertaining matchup to begin Big Ten Tournament play this week, as both teams pursue the conference's automatic bid for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
How to watch #7 Wisconsin vs. #10 Purdue
- Who: #7 Wisconsin (30-18, 14-10 Big Ten) vs. #10 Purdue (34-19, 11-13 Big Ten)
- What: 2026 Big Ten Softball Tournament
- When: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Where: University of Maryland Softball Complex (College Park, Md.)
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Stream: FOX Sports App
What's at stake?
Purdue is hoping to make a run in this year's Big Ten Tournament, hoping to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, which begins on May 15. The only guarantee of getting into the field would be to win the tournament and receive the conference's automatic bid.
The Boilermakers finished the regular season with a 34-19 record and an 11-13 mark in conference play. Getting swept by Indiana and Northwestern in April hurt Purdue's chances of receiving an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament.
If Purdue can defeat Wisconsin, the Boilermakers would advance to play No. 2 seed Oregon in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. It would provide the Boilermakers with an opportunity to boost their resumé.
Purdue players to watch
- Moriah Polar, OF — Polar is having an incredible season, racking up 99 hits and hitting at a .556 clip for the year. She has accounted for 47 RBI and has hit four home runs. As a result, the junior was named one of USA Softball's 25 finalists for the National Player of the Year.
- Anna Moore, MIF — Just a freshman, Moore has added a power bat to the Boilermakers' lineup this season. She leads the team in both home runs (14) and RBI (61) while maintaining a .389 hitting percentage. Her 64 hits this season rank as the second-best mark for the team.
- Julia Gossett, P — Gossett has been Purdue's top pitcher the past two seasons and owns a 14-11 record with a 3.07 ERA entering the Big Ten Tournament. She has pitched 157.1 innings and has notched 159 strikeouts with 89 walks. Gossett has started 20 games and thrown 13 complete games.
Wisconsin players to watch
- Hilary Bloomberg, C — Bloomberg has been Wisconsin's top hitter this season, leading the team in hits (55), batting average (.367), home runs (14) and RBI (48). She makes contact on nearly every trip to the plate, striking out just 16 times for the season.
- Jaclyn Showalter, IF — Another power hitter in the Badgers' lineup, Showalter has accounted for 11 home runs on the year. She has been responsible for 27 RBI and is just under a .300 batting average, coming into the Big Ten Tournament at .296.
- Shelby Jacobson, P — Shelby enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 13-9 record this season, making 19 starts. She has a 4.15 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. Jacobson has pitched 11 complete games for the year.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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