Home-Grown Heroes Help Power Wisconsin Softball Team To Big Ten Tournament Final Four

Five former in-state prep stars play critical roles as the seventh-seeded Badgers upset second-seeded Oregon in quarterfinals.

Former Verona star Hilary Blomberg celebrates following the seventh-seeded University of Wisconsin softball team's 11-9 victory over second-seeded and No. 11-ranked Oregon in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament on Thursday. | Wisconsin Softball

The thrilling postseason run continued for the University of Wisconsin softball team on Thursday.

Power Surge Lifts Wisconsin

The seventh-seeded Badgers hit four home runs as they upset second-seeded and No. 11 Oregon, 11-9 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament hosted by the University of Maryland.

It was the eighth victory in the last nine games for the Badgers, who improved to 32-18 overall and advanced to face third-seeded and No. 7-ranked UCLA in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

In-State Talent Makes Impact

An impressive group of homegrown former high school talent occupy 11 spots on Wisconsin's 22-player roster, including three battle-tested juniors and eight freshmen.

Key Performers Step Up

Five of those in-state competitors stepped up, delivered, and thrived under the bright glare of the national spotlight Thursday, including Hilary Blomberg, Dani Lucey, Jaclyn Showalter, Addison Wery, and Berritt Herr.

Former Arrowhead star Jaclyn Showalter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run as the seventh-seeded University of Wisconsin softball team upset second-seeded and No. 11-ranked Oregon 11-9 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. | Wisconsin Softball

Blomberg Sets the Tone Early

Blomberg, a junior catcher and former Verona High School standout, went 2-for-5 with a solo home run to center field to ignite a crucial momentum-building four-run top of the first. Lucey, a junior center fielder from Monona Grove, contributed a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

It was the 15th homer of the season for Blomberg, who moved into a tie for the single-season program record with former Badger standout Kayla Konwent, according to a post by Maddox Durst of uwbadgers.com.

Showalter, a redshirt freshman from Arrowhead, finished 2-for-4 with a solo homer to left-center field in the two-run third. Wery, a freshman pinch-hitter from Seymour, delivered an RBI single to cap the inning.

Showalter’s Record-Breaking Day

With the performance, Showalter established a Badger freshman record for homers with 13 and became just the third player in program history to hit two or more home runs in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. She hit a three-run homer in the sixth in the Badgers' opening-round victory over No. 10-seeded Purdue.

Herr Closes It Out

Herr, a strong-throwing 5-foot-11 freshman right-hander from Ashwaubenon, was the winning pitcher allowing one earned run on one hit with three strikeouts and no walks over the final three innings. She threw 33 pitches in facing 10 batters, yielding five flyouts and one groundout in the process to earn her 11th victory of the season.

Balanced Offense Powers Win

Sophomore second baseman Kaylie Whidden from Monument, Colo. went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead an aggressive 15-hit offensive attack for Wisconsin. Sophomore shortstop Hannah Conger from Gurnee, Ill., sophomore right fielder Kendra Lewis from Milan, Ill., and junior third baseman Alivia Bark from Bettendorf, Iowa each added two hits.

Conger and Emily Bojan, a senior designated player from Chicago, Ill., each added a solo homer to round out the list of hitting highlights.

Historic Win for Wisconsin

The resilient effort took on added historical significance as it was Wisconsin's first victory over a ranked opponent since 2023. The Badgers will be making their second appearance in the tournament semifinals in the last three years.

Note: The complete list of former Wisconsin high school players is listed below including names in alphabetical order, high school, current class, and positions in parentheses.

Hilary Blomberg, Verona, junior (C/3B)

Addison Blomberg, Verona, junior (OF)

Claire Calmes, Wausau West, freshman (INF)

Berritt Herr, Ashwaubenon, freshman (RHP)

Dani Lucey, Monona Grove, junior (OF)

Kylee Molitor, Reedsburg, freshman (MIF)

Jaclyn Showalter, Arrowhead, freshman (IF)

Sydney Spear, D.C. Everest, freshman (OF)

Sydney Vitangcol, Wisconsin Lutheran, freshman (LHP/1B)

Madison Werner, Germantown, freshman (UTL/C)

Addison Wery, Seymour, freshman (C/3B)

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com