Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Florida Atlantic
Softball Kicks Off 2000 Season With a Split
2/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 7, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern University softball team opened the 2000 season by splitting a pair of games at the Louisville Slugger Invitational in Tampa, Fla. The Wildcats lost the opener to Florida Atlantic, 4-3, but rebounded to shut out Florida International, 5-0.
The Wildcat offense got off on the right foot against Florida Atlantic, scoring two runs in the first. Senior shortstop Tami Jones (West Hills, Calif./El Camino Real) started the two-out rally with a double to left-center, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik) reached on an error. Jancic moved over to third courtesy of another passed ball and a wild pitch before stealing home for the second run.
After the Owls tied the game in the top of the fifth, NU retook the lead in the bottom half. Jones led off with a double down the left-field line and scored on a two-out double by Jenn Shull (San Jose, Calif./ Presentation).
However, Tabitha Price led off the top of the seventh with a home run for Florida Atlantic, tying the game at 3-3 and sending it into extra innings. Florida Atlantic then broke through for its first lead of the game in the top of the ninth, 4-3. In the bottom half of the inning, Northwestern loaded the bases with nobody out but failed to score.
Jones went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and Alyson Schulz (San Diego, Calif./Serra) and Mikie Chambers (Country Club Hills, Ill./Hillcrest) added two hits apiece.
Good pitching propelled the 'Cats to a 5-0 victory over Florida International in Friday's second game. Freshmen Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harputh Hall) and Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) combined on a five-hitter as the Wildcats cruised to their first win.
Jones got Northwestern on the board in the third inning, lacing a two-run triple into the right-centerfield gap. The 'Cats extended their lead in the fourth, scoring on a passed ball, before Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) sealed the win with a two-run triple in the fifth. Brown allowed four hits over five innings to earn her first collegiate win, while Schwendimann closed it out by striking out three in her two innings of work.
