Northwestern University Athletics
Six Games on Slate for Softball Squad This Week
4/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 17, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern softball team (17-12-1, 6-4 Big Ten) continues its full schedule of play with six games over the next five days. The week begins with a short trip into the city for a doubleheader against No. 17 DePaul (27-7, 12-1 C-USA). Then the Wildcats play host over the weekend to No. 12 Michigan (32-8, 8-2 Big Ten) and Michigan State (20-25, 3-7 Big Ten).
DePaul is coming off its 10 straight Conference USA win of the year. The Blue Demons rallied late to defeat Louisville, 4-2, a team the 'Cats lost to earlier in the season, 6-1.
This will be the 36th and 37th meetings between the 'Cats and Blue Demons, dating back to the 1978 season. The 'Cats swept DePaul in the inaugural game and took 17 of the first 18, en route to their current 26-9 lead in the all-time series. However, DePaul has become a constant presence in the national rankings during the past few years. They were ranked as high as third in the country at the end of the 1999 season. In addition, they have made two appearances at the Women's College World Series in the past three years.
After going 1-3 last weekend in league play, the 'Cats fell from second place in the conference standing to fourth. Michigan is tied for the conference lead with Iowa at 8-2. The Wolverines suffered their only Big Ten losses last weekend when they split with Minnesota and Wisconsin.
This will be the 74th and 75th meetings between these two clubs, with Michigan holding a 51-23 advantage. The Wolverines won the first game of the series 7-2 back in 1978. Last year in Ann Arbor, Michigan held the 'Cats to just one run in 14 innings, winning 5-1 and 6-0. In the 6-0 loss, Marissa Young pitched a one-hit shutout. Sophomore Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Vahalla) opened the game with a single, but that is all the offense Northwestern could muster.
Michigan State is ninth in the conference standings after an 0-4 weekend in Minneapolis and Madison.
This is the 72nd and 73rd meetings between the 'Cats and Spartans, with NU holding a 48-23 advantage. The series also began in 1978, with MSU taking the first three contests. Last season in East Lansing, the 'Cats took Game 1, 10-0, but were blanked in Game 2, 5-0.
Three NU records could fall this week as Gretchen Barnes (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) is looking for her record-setting 19th career home run and Erin Jancic (Houston, Texas/Alief Elsik) is going for her 106th career run and 35th career double-both would break the all-time marks.
Wildcat softball schedule for the week of 4/15 Wed., April 17 *DePaul-Chicago, Ill./Wish Field *3 p.m. (DH) Fri., April 19 *Michigan-Evanston, Ill./Sharon J. Drysdale Field *3 p.m. Sat., April 20 *Michigan-Evanston, Ill./Sharon J. Drysdale Field *noon Sun., April 21 *Michigan State-Evanston, Ill./Sharon J. Drysdale Field * noon (DH)
