Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
Softball Beats Minnesota in 10 Innings, 4-1
4/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 26, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Northwestern's softball team improved to 10-5 in the Big Ten with a 4-1 extra-inning win over Minnesota Friday night in Minneapolis. With the win, NU remains in fourth place in the Big Ten Conference standings. The top six teams will advance to the league tournament in two weeks. To get updated standings throughout the weekend log on to www.bigten.org.
With one out in the 10th and the score tied since the sixth, Cindy Muran (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) began the Wildcat rally with a double down the right field line. Jessie Wellnitz (Waterloo, Iowa/East) came into run for Muran at second. Wellnitz advanced to third on a passed ball by Anne Thul. Catcher J.C. Kira (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Francis) then put the ball in play in the infield, allowing Wellnitz to slide safely across the plate for the game winner. Brett Nakabayashi (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) added an insurance run when she singled in pinch runner Katie Gross (Des Moines, Iowa/Hoover) with a slap behind the drawn-in Gopher defense. She came around to score on Carri Leto's (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) follow-up double, giving NU a 4-1 advantage.
Pitchers Lauren Schwendimann (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) and Piper Martin traded zeros through the first three innings before Minnesota opened the scoring with a run off of four singles. NU prevented further damage in the fourth as Martin was thrown out at the plate, trying to score on a single to left. Angie Recknor ended the inning by grounding into a 1-2-3 double play with the bases loaded.
Minnesota native Rane Gunderson (Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) brought the 'Cats even with her second career home run and first of the season. The solo shot just cleared the 215-foot fence in left center.
The Gophers got the leadoff runner on in the seventh. She moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but Schwendimann struck out pinch hitter Christine Roberts to end the Minnesota threat and send the game into extra innings.
Schwendimann picks up her 15th win of the season and her sixth complete-game shutout, pitching all 10 innings. She scattered 10 hits while striking out five.
The Wildcats and Gophers meet again Saturday. NU then jumps on a bus for a doubleheader on Sunday with Wisconsin. Both games are scheduled to begin at noon.
