Wisconsin softball was on the wrong side of UCLA history, yet proved it belongs

Wisconsin knew it was going to need another slugfest to outlast the UCLA Bruins. The Badgers were able to make that magic happen against the Oregon Ducks, but couldn't quite do the same against the Bruins. UCLA could not stop hitting. There were home runs on homeruns, and the Bruins walked away with a 19-5 Big Ten Tournament win to send UCLA to the championship game to take on Nebraska.

It was an historic night for the Bruins as Megan Grant tied the D-1 record for most home runs in a single season with 37. The Badgers were on the wrong side of history in this one, and yet, still proved they belong in the NCAA Tournament, and it would be shocking if Wisconsin is not called on this coming Sunday when the committee makes the decisions.

Wisconsin softball couldn't pull off another upset but their tournament resume is secure

Related: Badgers softball will need more magic as they play with house money vs. UCLA

This Sunday, after all the conference tournaments have concluded, the NCAA Tournament selection committee will get together to decide who's in the field and who isn't. The tournaments will send some automatically into the field, but others, like Wisconsin, will sweat it out until their name is called.

The Badgers did enough, though. Not only finishing in the top 7 of the Big Ten during the regular season. They then went and grabbed two important Big Ten Tournament wins against Purdue and Oregon. Both catapulted the Badger resume, which was already considered a bubble team.

Those two wins should have set them in the category of "firmly in," but the team will still have to wait and see what the committee decides on Sunday.

Wisconsin holds the No. 33 spot in the NCAA RPI rankings, and that alone should indicate some sense of safety. Now the question is, how high will they be placed? A 3-seed in a regional placement seems to be a good, safe bet, but you never know, so stay tuned.

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