Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Northern Iowa (Louisville Invit.)
Softball Splits in Day One Action of Louisville Tournament
3/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2002
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - During day one action of the Louisville Tournament, the Northwestern softball team defeated Northern Iowa 3-0, then fell to host Louisville, 6-1. The 'Cats have yet to lose two or win two in the same day this season. They are now 5-6-1. They are scheduled to play Belmont and Toledo tomorrow and Kent State on Sunday if the weather holds, but the forecast does not look positive.
In game one, junior Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothills) pitched six shutout innings and added her first career home run to lead the 'Cats over Northern Iowa.
NU had to overcome a 12 strikeout performance from NIU pitcher Malinda McClintock to bring its record back to the .500 mark , if only temporally.
J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/Saint Francis) broke open the scoreless tie with a double off the top of the center field fence in the sixth, nearly missing a home run. Erin Mobley (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) followed it up with a scorcher past the Panther third baseman, advancing Kira to third. Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) then doubled in Kira and Mobley, giving NU a 2-0 lead.
Schwendimann helped her own cause by adding an insurance run in the seventh with her first career home run. In the circle, Schwendimann pitched six strong innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six. The win ups her record to 5-1.
Brie Brown (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) came in to close for the 'Cats in the seventh, combining with Schwendimann for the teams first shutout of the season. Brown also picked up her second save on the season.
In game two, host Louisville struck first with a home run in the first inning and never looked back from there as they defeated the Wildcats, 6-1. NU scored its only run in the top half of the third when Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik) drew a bases load walk to score Robyn Pettinger (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd).
NU put a mini rally together in the sixth with back-to-back singles by Cindy Muran and Kira with two outs, but the Cardinals shut the door on the 'Cats by picking Muran off as she tried to advance to third on a wild pitch.
