Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio St
Softball Falls to Ohio State, 4-3
3/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 31, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. -
The Northwestern softball team fell to Ohio State, 4-3, Saturday at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. The Wildcats held a 3-0 lead heading into the seventh and final inning, but gave up four runs for the loss.
Northwestern outhit the Buckeyes, 7-5, and scored all their runs in the fourth inning. Freshman Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) led off with a bunt. Sophomore Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) also bunted safely, advancing Leto to second and then third on an error. Nakabayashi then stole second with sophomore Alyson Schulz (San Diego, Calif./Serra) at bat. Schulz hit a bunt single to score Leto and advance Nakabayashi. Schulz then advanced to second on a passed ball. Junior Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) reached first base on an error while Nakabayashi scored and Schulz advanced to third. Barnes was caught stealing second while sophomore Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East), pinch running for Schulz, scored.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ohio State scored three runs, then won when Amy Ellis hit a ground ball to third. Wendy Allen beat the throw home, sliding under the tag to give the Buckeyes their first conference win of the season.
For Northwestern, Schulz was 2-for-3 with one RBI. Sophomore Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) pitched 6.1 innings, striking out five and allowing five hits and four runs.
The Wildcats record falls to 9-12 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten. They are scheduled to play Ohio State again Sunday at 1 p.m.
