Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Florida
Softball Splits With Florida in Gainesville
2/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 18, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern University softball team gained a split with Florida Friday afternoon, winning the first game against the Gators (2-0) but dropping the second game in extra innings (5-4) during the first day of the GRU Softball Classic at the Florida Softball Stadium.
The Wildcats are now 4-4 on the season, while Florida lost for the first time this season and ended the day 7-1.
Northwestern scored both of its runs in the first inning in Game 1, and Brie Brown made it stand up as she tossed six innings of shutout ball to gain the win. Brett Nakabayashi led off the game by reaching on an error, and Mikeal Chambers followed that with a single. After Tami Jones advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, Erin Jancic roped a double to left-center that scored both Nakabayashi and Chambers.
Brown was in control until the seventh inning, when Florida tagged her for a pair of singles to lead off the inning. Freshman Lauren Schwendimann came on in relief and struck out UF's Prissie Walden. However, a passed ball allowed both Gator baserunners to advance a base.
With runners on second and third, Schwendimann struck out Kortney Edge looking for the second out. After walking leadoff hitter Lora Pinkerton to load the bases, Schwendimann got Nicole Kreipl to line out to rightfield for the save.
The Wildcats were not as fortunate in the second game, as a three-run first inning went by the boards in a game Florida eventually won in nine innings.
NU again struck quickly, scoring three times in the first inning before the Gators tagged Schwendimann -- who went the distance -- for three in the third. Both teams scored in the fourth, and that was all the scoring until the ninth inning when Florida plated a run for the win.
Schwendimann struck out eight in Game 2 while allowing seven hits and walking five as she took the loss. Offensively, Nakabayashi had one of NU's four hits and also walked twice in the leadoff spot.
NU will continue play at the GRU Softball Classic Saturday morning, meeting Samford in the doubleheader. On Sunday, the Wildcats will play McNeese State in a doubleheader.
