Wisconsin can 'build a team around' star from Verona developing in groundbreaking league (2024)

Hilary Blomberg deemed staying home and playing for the Madison Night Mares this summer as an easy decision.

It was an opportunity for her to improve her skills ahead of her sophom*ore season on the University of Wisconsin softball team after a first season in which she was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and the league's freshman team. It's also an opportunity others haven't had as the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer league known for baseball since its inception in 1994, is offering softball for the first time and is one of few leagues nationally which does.

“It’s been better than I could’ve even imagined,” Blomberg said. “I’ve had such fun with the team and the environment of playing here has been awesome.”

The 5-foot-7 Blomberg led the Badgers with 50 base hits and 35 RBIs. Her 14 doubles and team-high .365 batting average broke program freshman records and a slash line of .365/.401/.613 were each top 10 among freshman.

“I almost cried the morning I found out,” Blomberg said. “My coach told me I made the conference team and I thought she just meant for freshmen but when I learned it was first team I was in shock.”

The Verona grad also set program records in the Big Ten Tournament with three home runs and eight RBIs, including a record five in the quarterfinals against Rutgers.

Blomberg has sustained her high level of play with the Night Mares. She's hitting .412 with one-third of her 21 hits going for doubles and 17 RBIs in 16 games.

“She’s the kind of person and player that for something that’s just starting you can build a team or organization around,” Madison Night Mares coach Aaron Moore said.

Blomberg is using her Night Mares experience to improve upon her fielding skills, as she was predominantly a designated player for the Badgers last season. She’s currently the Night Mares’ catcher but said she’s still trying to find her spot on the field.

She threw nine innings for the Badgers and played catcher, first base, left field and right field while finishing with a .973 field percentage and 63 putouts.

“I hope I’m able to develop my skills here and carry them over into the next season so there isn’t a gap in my play,” Blomberg said.

With entertainment in-between innings, the Night Mares' games are slower paced than what Blomberg is accustomed to, and a stark contrast from the adjustments she made entering college last year.

However, this has allowed Blomberg to relax more, especially “coming off a pressure point of my season with tournaments,” she said.

“The speed of the game was faster with the pitching and there was no time to make mental mistakes,” Blomberg said. “I definitely had to work on the mental side of the game more than I did before because there were such high-pressure situations.”

Blomberg didn’t consider playing anywhere else this summer, as she couldn’t forgo the chance of playing alongside her sister Addie Blomberg. They’re a part of a set of triplets with Mia Blomberg, who’s the youngest.

The sisters had played softball together since age 5 and were on Verona’s softball team for three seasons before graduating in 2023. Blomberg proceeded to join the Badgers softball team, while Addie plays at South Dakota State.

The sisters are amongst the five Night Mares players that call the Madison area home, including Wisconsin sophom*ore infielder Danielle Lucey (Monona Grove), 2023 State Journal co-player of the year Andrea Jaskowiak (Madison Memorial, Iowa) and Eastern Illinois sophom*ore Karlie Mckenzie (Monona Grove).

“It’s only been one year (playing without her sister) but it felt so long and getting to play with her again has been the best part about all this,” Blomberg said. “I’ve played with a lot of them before, so it's cool having all of us from the area and getting to show off Madison (to non-area teammates)."